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5 Ingredients That Can Kill You: Most Of Us Have It In Their Kitchen!

5 Ingredients That Can Kill You: Most Of Us Have It In Their Kitchen!

5 Ingredients That Can Kill You: Most Of Us Have It In Their Kitchen!

Eating healthy and varied is one of the key keys to a healthy body and a harmonious silhouette. That is why we try to choose our foods carefully and ensure that they are beneficial to our health. Sometimes, however, due to excessive doses or inadequate storage conditions, some of these foods become toxic and may harm our health. Here are a few examples.

Examples of Potentially Toxic Foods:

Potato

Cooked, fried or pureed, potatoes are a favorite food for young and old alike. However, inadequate storage conditions can make it toxic and therefore detrimental to health. Indeed, by exposing it to light or to the rays of the sun, this vegetable acquires a green color and a bitter taste.

This new coloring is due to the production of chlorophyll which, in turn, increases the concentration of the potato in solanine, the glycoalkaloid responsible for the bitterness of the vegetable and makes it unfit for consumption. If you consume a green potato you may suffer from dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, hallucinations, etc. In more severe cases, the consumption of green potatoes can lead to the emergence of neurological problems.

The Nutmeg

Nutmeg is a popular cooking spice for its distinct flavor, but also for its virtues against various health problems, such as rheumatism, respiratory problems or intestinal parasites. But on the other hand, it is to say that it also contains toxic substances that have unpleasant side effects such as dizziness, dehydration, accelerated heart rate, nausea or even hallucinations. Moreover, if it is consumed at high doses - more than 20g - it can become fatal.

So, if you want to enjoy its aroma and virtues without putting your health at risk, always have a light hand by adding it to your dishes!

The tuna

Because of the expansion of the industrial sector, there have been many adverse effects on the environment, including an increase in mercury levels in the oceans. As a result, some predatory fish, including tuna, which feed on smaller fish, accumulate methylmercury in their flesh. However, prolonged exposure to this heavy metal can cause nervous, digestive and immune disorders. According to a study published in the journal Environmental Health, more than 1.8 million newborns in Europe had a methylmercury level exceeding the health limit, causing neurological disorders. It is therefore to be consumed with great moderation - twice a week, maximum - and preferably, to avoid by pregnant women and children.

The rhubarb

Rhubarb belongs to the Polygonaceae family and is a plant with multiple health virtues conferred by its richness in provitamins, vitamins and minerals. Containing 0.4% oxalic acid, it is safe for health, as long as its consumption is moderate. In high doses, its content of this acid becomes toxic to the body, promotes the appearance of kidney and biliary stones, reduces the calcium reserves and prevents the assimilation of iron.

It should be noted that only the petioles of the plant are edible, its leaves being very toxic because of their high content of oxalic acid.

The almonds

We all know that almonds are very nutritious, energizing and antioxidant. While the sweet variety is highly recommended as a snack, bitter almonds are toxic if consumed excessively. This toxicity is due to the presence of amygdalin, also called cyanide, known to be a fatal poison. Cyanide poisoning usually manifests itself in the following symptoms: heart palpitations, headache, dizziness, anxiety, hyperventilation, etc. In some cases, these signs may worsen and cause hypotension, convulsions, coma, respiratory arrest and even death.

The onset of these symptoms follows the consumption of 400 mg of amygdalin per kg of weight. Even if this amount remains important, it is always recommended to consume the bitter almonds with great moderation.