5 Toxic Foods in Your Kitchen: Poisonous Foods That Can Kill You
Introduction
Some foods are healthy, and some foods are unhealthy. But then some daily foods are extremely toxic for the body. In this article, I am going to share with you 5 common foods, backed by both Ayurveda and modern science, which are so poisonous that they can make you seriously ill or even deadly. So without any further delay, let’s get started.
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5 Toxic Foods in Your Kitchen
Image | Food | Toxic Effects |
 | Bitter Bottle Gourd | Vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, shock, death |
 | Green Potatoes | Nausea, headaches, neurological problems, death |
 | Unset Curd | Constipation, weight gain, allergies, stiffness in joints |
 | Bitter Almonds | Cyanide production, choking, slowing down of nervous system, breathing problems, death |
 | Heated Honey | Congestion, weight gain, respiratory issues, digestive problems, death |
These 5 Foods Are Extremely Toxic!
Starting with #5 on the List: Bitter Bottle Gourd
When we think of the healthiest vegetables, Lauki crosses the mind. Light and cooling on the stomach, rich in fiber and antioxidants, it is often used in the treatment of skin problems, hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, and fat loss. However, if the bottle gourd turns out to be bitter in taste, forget the benefits, it can rather be fatal for the body. Time and again, it has been proven that bitter bottle gourd contains certain toxic compounds that can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, shock, and even death. (Source)
Real-Life Incidents of Bitter Bottle Gourd Poisoning
- In 2018, a 41-year-old Pune-based IT woman with no underlying medical condition succumbed to death 3 days after consuming bitter bottle gourd juice. (Source)
- A lady from the film industry landed in ICU for 2 days after consuming bitter bottle gourd juice.
- A research was conducted when a 52-year-old woman got seriously ill immediately after drinking bitter bottle gourd juice. No antidote for its toxicity has been found to date.
Ayurveda and Modern Science on Bitter Bottle Gourd
Ayurveda has always warned against the damaging effects of consuming bitter bottle gourd. Recently, a report by the Indian Council of Medical Research has also confirmed that consuming “bitter bottle gourd” can cause serious complications. So, the next time you are planning to make bottle gourd juice, sabzi, or raita, don’t forget to cut a little piece and check that it doesn’t taste bitter.
At #4: Green Potatoes
No matter which part of India you live in, potatoes are something you will always find in our kitchens. And why not? They are versatile. Be it aloo matar ki sabzi, that crispy masala dosa, or spicy aloo raita, don’t feel guilty having them as they are packed with several vitamins and minerals like potassium, iron, vitamin C, and B6. But all this is true only if the potatoes haven’t turned green. This generally happens when potatoes are kept on shelves for long under sunlight. Sometimes, they even sprout.
The Danger of Solanine in Green Potatoes
When a potato turns green, there is an increase in a compound called solanine. Solanine is considered a neurotoxin, and ingestion by humans can cause nausea and headaches and can lead to serious neurological problems and, in rare cases, even death. The National Capital Poison Center and a recent study confirmed that 450 grams of green potato is enough to make you seriously ill.
In fact, in 1969, in a school in London, 78 boys became sick, with 17 of them hospitalized after eating a meal. The culprit later found was green potatoes. Even cooking doesn’t eliminate it. So, the next time you reach into a sack of potatoes only to find they’ve started turning green, don’t be doubtful whether to use them or not. It’s best to discard the green potatoes or at least remove the green part of the potatoes before you cook them.
#3: Unset Curd
Not just tasty, curd is strength-giving and promotes digestion. However, there are times when we find that curd is not properly formed. A doubt arises. Should we consume it or not? Well, choose the latter. According to Ayurveda, curd that is not properly set, which is semi-formed, is called “manda dahi,” and eating such curd tends to block the subtle channels of the body and aggravates all the three doshas.
If you eat this curd, it can cause constipation, weight gain, allergies, and stiffness in the joints. So, the next time you see that the curd has not properly set, don’t consume it to damage your body. Instead, use it to condition your hair or mix it with a little besan and haldi to make a face pack.
At #2: Bitter Almonds
We all know how healthy almonds are. We eat them as a snack, sometimes chewing the bitter ones that come in our mouth. Never do that. You will be shocked to know that bitter almonds contain a toxic chemical which breaks down into cyanide when ingested by the body. What cyanide does is that it begins with blocking our oxygen passage. This is the reason if someone consumes even 7-8 bitter almonds, he can get choked to death. (Source)
The Cyanide Threat in Bitter Almonds
In a study, when 10 adults ingested bitter almonds, it led to the production of cyanide in their bodies, resulting in the slowing down of the nervous system and breathing problems. The study thus concluded that “ingestion of a significant amount of bitter almonds can be toxic and potentially lethal.”
It’s important to know that regular almonds, especially the indigenous varieties, get bitter when they get too old. Sometimes, manufacturers tend to mix old almonds with new ones to clear their old stocks. Be a smart shopper and always try to buy the latest batch of almonds. So the next time you taste bitterness while eating almonds, spit it out without bothering how expensive they are.
Finally, the #1 Food You Should Never Eat: Heated Honey
Is honey chilli potato one of your favorite street foods? Or do you add honey in very hot water with lemon to get that extra fat off your body? Or do you prefer using honey for baking cakes since it’s a healthier alternative to refined crystallized sugar?
No doubt, raw honey contains a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and disease-fighting antioxidants. However, one important precaution that must be kept in mind while consuming honey is that it should not be heated. Yes, it is an absolute no, as mentioned in “Charak Samhita.” The reason is that honey, when heated, becomes glue-like in texture. The molecules then tend to stick in the digestive tract, producing toxins.
The Science Behind Heated Honey
In fact, when a modern study put this claim by Charak Samita to the test, the results were just spot on. It showed that heating honey not only destroys its nutritional value but also produces a poisonous substance called HMF, while nothing of this sort was found in unheated honey.
Shockingly, when a high concentration of heated honey was sprayed on bees, 100% of bee larvae died. As per the National Center for Biotechnology, consuming heated honey can lead to congestion, weight gain, respiratory issues, digestive problems, and in rare cases, can be fatal as well. So if you want the benefits of honey, add it to tea or water which is warm and not very hot.
Conclusion:
So, these were the 5 toxic foods in your kitchen consuming wrong way, which can be seriously detrimental to your body. Which one of these was most relatable to you? Let me know in the comments. Thank you so much for reading.
5 Toxic Foods in Your Kitchen: Poisonous Foods That Can Kill You
