1. Green Potatoes
The humble, delicious and nutritious potato can turn into your worst enemy. Few people know this, but the actual plant that produces potatoes is full of solanine and chaconine, both of which are poisonous substances the plant uses to protect itself from insects and parasites.
Typically, potato tubers are free of these substances, but in some cases, especially when exposed to prolonged sunlight, potatoes, too, can build up solanine. The telltale signs of potatoes containing the poison are:
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when the potato turns green
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a bitter taste.
Eating just a few of these green potatoes can make you develop toxic symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, hallucinations, inflammation in the joints, cardiac dysrhythmia, thyroid issues, and other symptoms. Just 3-6 mg of solanine per kilogram of body weight can be deadly, so stay away from green or bitter-tasting potatoes.
2. Cherry Pits, Apple Seeds, and Peach Stones
Cherries, apples, peaches, and apricots are definitely among the most popular fruits out there, period. They're all juicy, sweet, and ridiculously easy to eat. But did you know that the seeds of all of these fruits are packed with prussic acid, also known as cyanide? The concentration of the potentially deadly poison varies significantly depending on the fruit, but only one cherry pit has been estimated to contain 0.17 grams of cyanide, which could be enough to kill a person.
Luckily, all of these fruits hide their poisonous insides deep within a hard shell, so there's generally no danger of you even ingesting an apple seed or cherry pit because your digestive system won't be able to dissolve the protective coating of the seed, given that you haven't bitten through it, that is. Still, we just wouldn't recommend risking it.
Almonds are among the healthiest of nuts, but even they can be not so beneficial to your body, especially if you choose the wrong kind. This is because all almonds contain a precursor to cyanide called amygdalin, which can then be converted into the poison in your body.
Both sweet and bitter almonds contain amygdalin, but it's the bitter variety that has a significantly higher quantity of the poisonous substance and can cause diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps, especially if they are raw. Heat treatment removes all the toxins from sweet almonds, so they're safe to eat.
4. Forest Mushrooms
It doesn't get better than a fresh homemade pizza with mushrooms, but be careful of which ones you use, as certain mushroom varieties can be deadly. As a matter of fact, there is only a handful of edible mushroom species. So, if you happen to go mushroom picking or buy fresh forest mushrooms, know very well which kinds of mushrooms are safe to eat and stay away from the rest.
The most dangerous mushroom varieties are the death cap (Amanita phalloides) and the destroying angel (Amanita virosa), pictured above. Eating any of these wild mushrooms will produce symptoms like diarrhea, intense thirst, abdominal pain, vomiting, liver failure, coma, and even death.
5. Shellfish
Shellfish are an exceptional source of protein and other beneficial nutrients, but unfortunately, it's not as safe to eat as fish, particularly when consumed raw. Even fresh seafood can absorb potentially harmful bacteria and viruses from the surrounding waters and cause serious digestive distress.
Apart from that, shellfish are notorious for absorbing high quantities of toxic heavy metals from the sea, such as mercury or cadmium, which ultimately build up in the human body and can cause toxic symptoms and even heavy metal poisoning, so it's best not to eat shellfish too often, even when cooked through thoroughly.
6. Raw Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are a great source of plant-based protein and iron, if you eat them right, that is. Non cooked beans can induce bad stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. That's why you should always cook your beans well before eating them, as the cooking process neutralizes the toxic proteins called lectins raw beans contain.
Raw kidney beans are the most saturated in lectins, but all beans have them. Eating just 4-5 kidney beans is typically enough to produce the above-mentioned symptoms, so make sure to eat your beans cooked.
7. Fresh Elderberries
Elderberry syrup or jam is a popular treat. It has known immune-boosting properties and it can be used to treat cold and flu symptoms, as well as relieve constipation.
However, eating just a few elderberries raw can have adverse effects on your health, as the berries contain cyanide and lectin. Even in small doses, these compounds induce digestive symptoms, such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.