Poisonous Food We Eat Daily

These fruits and vegetables (and the occasional legume) are a part of our everyday diet - and contain chemicals or compounds that are toxic to humans and other animals. From one of the most-consumed foods in the world to an apple a day, here are the some poisonous foods you encounter every day...

13. Chillies You’ve probably eaten a chili or two in your life. No matter if it was an extremely hot one, or one that was pretty mild, every chili you have ever consumed has contained a chemical called capsaicin. In chilies, capsaicin is what makes them spicy and “hot.” Of course one chili won’t hurt, but if you eat enough of them, capsaicin can kill you. The chemical is so strong that it is used as a paint stripper, and it is even used in pepper spray used by police forces. In hotter chilies, such as habaneros, capsaicin can be felt on the skin if you cut the chili, as it will produce a burning sensation. But if you really like Jalapeno peppers and Cajun Hot Sauce you can find many site on the web. Interesting fact: Chilies are extremely high in Vitamin C. One green chili pod is said to contain about 6 times as much Vitamin C. 

12. Mushrooms There are about 5000 types of mushrooms known in the U.S. and about 100 of them are said to be toxic, while less than a dozen are deadly. In any case, mushrooms can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.  Since mushrooms are fungi and the fact that there are so many species, it can be hard to know which are poisonous. As rule of thumb, it is usually said that any mushroom found in the wild are more than likely poisonous. One of the deadliest types of mushroom toxins is Alpha-amanitin, which causes extreme liver damage. Toadstools, as they are called, are the poisonous mushrooms. Interesting fact: There are 38,000 known kinds of mushrooms; about 5% of these are toxic.

11. Cashews Though really seeds and not nuts, cashews grow inside of a shell-like structure that grows on a fruit. When buying “raw cashews” in the store, take note that these nuts have actually been steamed and are not entirely raw. This is because raw cashews contain urushiol, which is the same chemical that you’d find in poison ivy. It can cause the body to have a very similar reaction to one experienced from poison oak or ivy. If a high level of urushiol is ingested, it can be deadly. Cashew poisoning is rare, but those who handle them in order to manufacture them to get the shell off sometimes experience the side-effects. Interesting fact: Cashews come from a fruit, which in South American countries, is eaten, and the seeds (cashews) are then thrown away. 

10. Lima Beans Also known as butter beans, lima beans contain a compound known aslinamarin, which essentially becomes cyanide after an enzymatic process - but don't worry! Before they are made available for general consumption, the canned version of these legumes are processed to remove the toxin. Buy 'em dried? Make sure they are fully cooked (at least 10 minutes!) and should never be served raw.

9. Cassava/Manioc Root A South American native (also known as Yuca), cassava root is a starchy tuber and the third most-consumed food in the world. While both the sweet and bitter varieties contain cyanide, the latter contains higher levels which makes it naturally pest-repellent and thus, the preferred crop. Soaking the root in water can help kick start an enzymatic process that will liberate the cyanide, but the subsequent liquid becomes toxic as a result. Unprocessed, a pound of bitter yuca can kill a cow - and certainly a person.

8. Nutmeg From the tree Myristica fragrans, the only tree to produce two spices (nutmeg and also, mace). While the chemical in nutmeg is not poisonous, it is a psychoactive neurotoxin which can cause vomiting, dizziness and hallucinations. But have no fear - the amount needed to cause a serious reaction is more than you'll find in the average pumpkin pie...

7. Kidney Beans Like other legumes (remember those lima beans?) kidney beans also contain a potentially lethal toxin - phytohaemagglutinin. Ingesting only a few beans can land you in the hospital and a whole handful will send you straight to the morgue. The toxin is easily neutralized when the bean is boiled for at least 10 minutes - but the toxin can become up to 5x more toxic at 175 F (just off boiling) than if eaten raw. Translation: if you throw raw kidney beans into the slow cooker for some chili, you may want to cancel dinner... Want to avoid the problem? Use canned beans, which are pre-treated and safe to eat.

6. Almonds Another natural source of cyanide! This time, all of the ingredients are present but not activated until the seed (the almond we know and love) is injured - i.e. crushed by teeth. But again, nothing to worry about - domesticated almonds do not contain this natural defense mechanics.

5. Tomatoes While tomatoes (the fruit) are non-toxic, atropine is present in the stems and leaves. While only one death seems to have been attributed to atropine poisoning, ingestion can cause dizziness, headaches and indigestion. Advice? Avoid tomato-leaf tea.

4. Stone Fruits: Cherries, Apricots, Peaches & Plums The pits (or stones) of these stone fruits also contain cyanide. Swallowing a whole pit or two won't do a lot of damage, but much like almonds, the toxin becomes exposed when the seed is crushed or damaged - or chewed upon, making children and pets particularly vulnerable. Every year, a handful of deaths (in children and adults) are attributed to an over-indulgence in fruit pits - yikes!

3. Rhubarb Have no fear - your grandmother's strawberry rhubarb pie is still safe! The red stalks are perfectly fine, it's the dark leafy greens that are not so innocent. While the compound (oxalic acid) won't kill you, it can cause dizziness and kidney failure, coma and seizures. To be fair, you will have to eat more than the occasional leaf to have results like these - but think twice (or about a dozen times) before using the delicious-looking greens in a soup or salad.

2. Potatoes Ordinarily, this staple crop is harmless. However, potatoes and other members of the Nightshade family naturally contain solanine. Solanine has natural fungicidal and pesticidal properties (an obvious natural defense) and, in potatoes, develops when exposed to light - another reason to store your spuds in a cool, dark place. Once they begin sprouting or green patches appear, you may want to think twice before eating. Even after cooking, solanine is fairly potent and can cause nausea, indigestion, diarrhea, and vomiting, as well as cardiac problems and dizziness. Hallucinations, paralysis, fever, hypothermia and death have also been reported as symptoms of more severe cases.

1. Apples Like stone fruits, apple seeds contain that pesky compound - cyanogenic glycosides - which, through an enzymatic process, turns into cyanide. While the seeds of an apple or two won't cause you any harm, there have been known deaths as a result of over-eating. While those seeds may not grow into trees in your digestive tract, they may cause a few less far-fetched health problems..

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