repare to be shocked! We're diving into a culinary danger zone, exploring foods that can turn from delicious to deadly in an instant. From everyday ingredients to exotic delicacies, these seemingly innocent foods pack a potentially fatal punch that might surprise you!
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00:00What is this? It's food poisoning.
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for foods that can kill if you aren't careful.
00:09So check out the list and be careful.
00:12Dad, no!
00:15It's gonna kill you!
00:18Eh, I've had a good run.
00:22Number 30, cherries. Have you ever heard of cyanide? Regardless of how much you know about it,
00:27one thing we all know is that we shouldn't ingest it.
00:30Cherries!
00:32Jubilee!
00:36Wait, before you start freaking out, thinking that cherries are full of cyanide, they aren't.
00:41The pits are, though. Yep, they're full of prussic acid, also known as cyanide.
00:45And if you're the kind of person who likes to chew on cherry pits, we have one word for you.
00:50Stop.
00:51There is good news, though. If you accidentally swallow a cherry pit, it won't kill you.
00:56Uncracked pits will harmlessly pass through your system.
00:59And it seems the stems are safe for those who like to tie them in their mouths.
01:03Watch this. Ready?
01:08What are you doing?
01:09I'm tying a knot in the stem with my tongue.
01:11I'm likely enough to do this.
01:17Wow. Oh, that was close.
01:20Number 29, mangoes. Would you ever eat poison ivy?
01:24Watch it. That's poison ivy.
01:25Whoa. Good call. I'm allergic to poison ivy.
01:28Then don't eat mango skin. The skin of this delicious fruit contains urushiol,
01:33which is the exact same stuff that's in poison ivy.
01:36The good news is that those without allergies to the ivy shouldn't experience anything too harsh,
01:41or even anything at all, if they eat the skin.
01:44However, those with allergies to poison ivy could react very poorly,
01:48with rashes, swelling, and problems with their breathing.
01:51Probably better just to avoid it.
01:53And honestly, mango skin doesn't taste very good anyway.
01:56Here, have some mango. I don't want any mango.
01:58I'll take some.
01:59It's good.
02:03Very good.
02:05Juicy.
02:06Number 28, tomatoes.
02:08Today, the tomato is considered a rather delicious yet innocuous food item.
02:13I've grown a futuristic tomato by fertilizing it with anabolic steroids.
02:17The kind that help our Olympic athletes reach new peaks of excellence?
02:20The very same.
02:22I think this tomato could wipe out world hunger.
02:25In the 1700s, it was outright feared and referred to as the poison apple
02:30because so many people were dying after eating them.
02:33The truth is, it was the lead from the pewter plates and not the tomatoes.
02:37But that doesn't mean tomatoes are completely off the hook these days.
02:40The leaves and stems of the fruit do contain a poison, glycoalkaloid,
02:45that can cause internal distress.
02:47Although, according to New York Times food science writer Harold McGee,
02:50an adult would have to chow down on over half a kilogram of tomato leaves
02:54to get a toxic dose of the stuff.
02:56Look at my babies.
02:58This tomato will be Heinz ketchup.
03:01And this tomato will be Hans ketchup.
03:05Number 27, starfruit.
03:07This is a starfruit.
03:08Not much to do to starfruit.
03:10Basically, it comes in its own wrapper. You eat the wrapper.
03:12All you really need to do with starfruit is slice it.
03:14The deadly implications of this one are very much correlated to other medical problems
03:19a person may already be dealing with.
03:21Starfruit contains a neurotoxin,
03:23which people with normally functioning kidneys can safely process and get rid of.
03:28No biggie.
03:29However, that is most definitely not the case for those with kidney disease.
03:33In those cases, the kidneys can't pass the toxin, and it will stay in their bodies.
03:37It can cause some very serious symptoms,
03:40from hiccups to mental confusion to seizures,
03:43and even death in the most extreme cases.
03:46Number 26, monkey brains.
03:48The question of whether people have actually consumed the brains of monkeys
03:52is one that has been debated for a long time.
03:55Chilled monkey brains.
03:57And regardless of its accuracy,
03:59odds are you weren't planning on having monkey brains for dinner anytime soon.
04:03But just in case, we thought we'd warn you.
04:06It's probably better if you don't.
04:08Eating the brains and nervous systems of certain animals, including monkeys,
04:12can result in the transmission of certain incurable and deadly diseases,
04:16such as the neurodegenerative disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob.
04:20We don't need to get into the details of it.
04:22Just trust us.
04:23You definitely don't want it.
04:33Number 25, apples.
04:35Maybe the saying needs to be changed to
04:37an apple a day keeps the doctor away,
04:39but apple seed snacks bring the doctor back.
04:46We still need to work on it, but the facts are all there.
04:49Apple seeds can kill.
04:50They, like some other fruit seeds, have cyanide in them,
04:53and so it's best to avoid swallowing them if at all possible.
04:57Thankfully, they also have a protective coating
04:59that will keep the poison out of your body should you intake a few by accident.
05:03However, making apple seeds a regular part of your diet
05:06could have dire consequences.
05:30Number 24, raw meat.
05:32Salmonella and E. coli, two things that can make you sick,
05:35and both can be found in raw meat.
05:37Have you ever tried, like, the raw meat?
05:39Both can cause internal distress,
05:41and in those with a weakened immune system,
05:43they can lead to death.
05:45So how do you get rid of them?
05:46This type of bacteria can only be killed
05:48when the meat is cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit
05:52or 71 degrees Celsius.
05:54But what about steak tartare, you ask?
05:56People do safely consume raw meat,
05:58but only when it is the highest quality of meat
06:01and has been prepared properly,
06:03taking all necessary precautions.
06:05And even then, while the risk of bacterial infection is low,
06:09it's not zero.
06:17Number 23, rice.
06:19One of the most widely consumed foods in the world
06:22is also one of the most likely to spell your demise.
06:25Well, if you eat enough of it, that is.
06:27Rice contains tons of super vitamins and minerals
06:30such as potassium, magnesium, iron, and arsenic.
06:34Or perhaps some arsenic and lead might help.
06:36Yep, the ultimate grain holds a significant quantity
06:39of inorganic arsenic,
06:41which, if you've ever watched a murder mystery film,
06:43you'll know is quite toxic to humans.
06:45Since rice is grown in fields that often flood,
06:48the crop takes in any substances that are carried by the irrigation,
06:52both harmful and beneficial.
06:54But don't fret.
06:55It would take approximately 1,800 cups to wipe you out.
06:58So try not to eat 2,000 burrito bowls in a day whenever possible.
07:02You want to make a burrito bowl that's unforgettable
07:04and still keeps you on diet for the goddang new year?
07:07Then this is the bowl for you.
07:08Number 22, cassava.
07:10This root vegetable from South America can be yummy and deadly.
07:14Cassava became so popular because it resists drought and pests.
07:18The root is calorie-rich, high in vitamin C,
07:21and can replace more expensive starches like wheat or rice.
07:25In order to enjoy the former without suffering from the latter,
07:28you'll want to stay away from the leaves, roots, and skin
07:31because of that pesky cyanide.
07:33You'll also want to cook it.
07:34Eating these raw is just not an option.
07:37There are two kinds of cassava, sweet and bitter.
07:40The good news is that the sweet variety is much less deadly.
07:43The bad news is that even just two sweet cassava roots can kill an adult cow.
07:48But more than 4,000 years ago,
07:50indigenous people in the Amazon River Basin
07:52discovered that grating, straining, and cooking cassava made it safe to eat.
07:56Number 21, giant bullfrog.
07:59We'll admit we've never eaten a giant bullfrog,
08:02nor have we ever had the opportunity to.
08:04Mmm, these are the juiciest frogs I've ever eaten.
08:07However, in some places like the African country of Namibia,
08:10these things are kind of a specialty.
08:12Whether you plan on traveling to Africa
08:14or just find yourself in a situation where giant bullfrog is on the menu,
08:18there's one important thing to know about the frog you're about to eat.
08:21How old is it?
08:22Young bullfrogs who haven't mated yet have a poison that can cause kidney failure.
08:27The older frogs who have already been through the mating process
08:30no longer carry the poison.
08:32If a male is to mate, he must stay in the center.
08:37And he won't be able to do that without a fight.
08:41Number 20, stone fruit seeds.
08:44If you've ever read a mystery novel,
08:46watched a detective procedural,
08:48or learned about the fall of the Third Reich,
08:50then you've surely heard of cyanide.
08:52But the danger is closer than it seems.
08:54In addition to being unpleasantly hard to eat,
08:57the pits and seeds of cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, and apples
09:02all contain amygdalin,
09:04a compound that, when it enters the body, produces cyanide.
09:08To be fair, a few apple seeds aren't going to send a person to the ER,
09:12but a few cherry stones could.
09:15And have.
09:16So maybe it's best to spit the pits,
09:18no matter how unglamorous it seems.
09:21Number 19, cinnamon.
09:23This savory spice can make a dish,
09:25but too much of it can make for an unfortunate death.
09:28Cinnamon itself isn't inherently dangerous for any chemical reasons.
09:33No conventional amount of cinnamon in your baking or hot cocoa is fatal.
09:37The cinnamon challenge, however, carries significant health risks.
09:41Once that spoonful of cinnamon coats the mouth,
09:43it eliminates all moisture,
09:45making it impossible to swallow.
09:47That might be funny on camera,
09:49but the body's reaction is to inhale,
09:51which can cause not only choking,
09:53but also serious damage to the lungs.
09:56So maybe let's just save it for the apple pie recipe, okay?
10:01Number 18, unpasteurized honey.
10:04Historically used by numerous cultures,
10:06both as a sweetening agent and for medicinal purposes,
10:09honey was actually considered to be the food of the gods in ancient Greece.
10:13Though history might be on its side,
10:15the old-school approach to honey,
10:17leaving it unpasteurized, can be deadly.
10:20Raw honey can result in botulism in infants.
10:23In adults and children alike,
10:25in certain regions of the world,
10:27the sweet stuff comes with the risk of mad honey disease
10:30due to the fact that the bees are sourcing nectar from certain toxic plants.
10:34If the concentration of Guyana toxins is high enough,
10:38intoxication or even death can occur.
10:42Number 17, rhubarb.
10:44In a pie mixed with strawberries,
10:46there's nothing better than some chopped up pieces of rhubarb stalk.
10:50But if throwing out the leaves seems wasteful to you,
10:52this is one of the rare cases where a salad is the wrong choice.
10:56Unfortunately, the leaves of the rhubarb plant contain oxalic acid,
11:00a substance that is poisonous to humans.
11:03Admittedly, the stalks contain it as well,
11:06but the concentrations are significantly lower.
11:08One would likely have to start a rhubarb leaf diet
11:11for the poisoning to reach toxic levels,
11:13but smaller servings can still lead to serious health risks and illnesses.
11:18Number 16, kidney beans.
11:20Looking for a crunchy snack?
11:22Look elsewhere.
11:24Raw food diets are trendy,
11:25but when it comes to these legumes,
11:27cooking is a must.
11:29Though a great source of protein and fiber,
11:31kidney beans also pack a whole lot of phytohemagglutinin,
11:35a substance that is toxic to humans.
11:37To be fair, this compound can be found in many types of beans,
11:41but few boast such high concentrations as the kidney bean.
11:45In order to be consumed safely,
11:47kidney beans should first be soaked
11:49and then boiled for at least 10 minutes' time.
11:52Though sources disagree,
11:54it's also recommended that you not cook them in a slow cooker.
11:57Number 15, nutmeg.
11:59Another spice, another cause for concern.
12:02Unlike with cinnamon, however,
12:04the danger of nutmeg is inherent to the substance,
12:07not as a result of online challenges.
12:09In low doses, nutmeg poses no risk,
12:12but historically, it has been consumed raw in large quantities
12:16for its psychoactive properties.
12:18The effects can last for days on end
12:20and have mostly been described as extremely unpleasant.
12:23As with any toxic substance,
12:25if too much is consumed, the results can be fatal.
12:28But for however risky nutmeg is for we humans,
12:31it's even worse for our canine companions.
12:34Number 14, lima beans.
12:36Beans may be the musical fruit,
12:38but if you eat these bad boys raw,
12:40that may be the least of your worries.
12:42When consumed uncooked,
12:44certain chemicals in lima beans break down
12:46to become the toxic chemical known as hydrogen cyanide.
12:50Much like with kidney beans,
12:51it's crucial that you boil them for at least 10 minutes' time
12:54before ingesting these legumes.
12:56Within the United States,
12:57only lima beans with low-level toxicity can be grown.
13:01But regardless, better to play it safe
13:03than invite the grim reaper over for supper.
13:06Number 13, raw cashews.
13:08You can buy raw peanuts at a health food store,
13:10but not raw cashews,
13:12or at least not real raw cashews,
13:14and that's a good thing.
13:16The shell that protects cashews contains anacardic acid,
13:19which is similar to urushiol,
13:21the substance in poison ivy that elicits such a strong reaction.
13:25Even when shelled and washed,
13:27this severe irritant remains on the nut.
13:29The only way to actually ensure safe consumption
13:31is by roasting the nut,
13:33or for those who prefer a raw feeling,
13:35boiling or steaming it.
13:37But if actual raw cashews are consumed,
13:39the results can be fatal.
13:42Number 12, unpasteurized milk.
13:45In a world where seemingly everything is mass-produced
13:47by conglomerates and megacorporations,
13:50it can be very easy to distrust a lot of what winds up
13:52in the refrigerator or pantry.
13:54The general mentality seems to be
13:56the less processed, the better.
13:58And for the most part, that motto holds true.
14:01But when it comes to pasteurizing milk,
14:03things get a little more complicated.
14:05In some studies, drinking unpasteurized milk
14:07has been associated with a decrease in allergies
14:10and delivers arguably higher nutritional value.
14:13But it also comes with the risk of E. coli,
14:16salmonella, and listeria,
14:18any of which could prove fatal.
14:20Number 11, sausage.
14:23They might be delicious on the barbecue,
14:25in a pasta sauce, or on pizza,
14:27but sausages come with significant risk,
14:29at least in certain areas of the world.
14:31In 2013, a study from France
14:34found that one in four processed sausages
14:36were infected with hepatitis E.
14:39In 2017, a similar situation made headlines
14:42in the United Kingdom when HEV was found in sausages.
14:46In developed nations, hepatitis E is rarely fatal,
14:49but it poses deadly risks to pregnant women
14:52and those with already compromised immune systems.
14:55Time to start buying the good, unprocessed meat.
14:59Number 10, taro.
15:01Likely first found in Southeast Asia,
15:03the thick stems, leaves, and leaf stems of this plant
15:06are often used and eaten as vegetables.
15:09The taro is a root crop with light purple stems
15:12that are cooked in various ways,
15:14and can be used in both main meals and in desserts.
15:17However, when raw, you should stay far, far away from this plant.
15:21Why?
15:22It contains a toxic chemical compound called calcium oxalate,
15:26which, when consumed, can lead to kidney stones
15:29and, in extreme cases, death.
15:31So if you want to be safe, roast, boil, or bake it.
15:34But if you want to be even more prudent about it,
15:36try adding a bit of baking soda
15:38or drinking a glass of milk
15:40when you've got a taro craving to satisfy.
15:42Number 9, ghost pepper.
15:44It's more tingly than hot.
15:46Are you one of those people
15:48that hates putting Tabasco sauce on food
15:50because it makes things too spicy?
15:52Multiply that flavor by exactly 401.5,
15:56and you have the intensity of the ghost pepper.
16:00Also known by names like bhut jolokia and ghost chili,
16:03this hybrid pepper is one of the world's hottest foods,
16:06and it is definitely not advised that you eat too many of them.
16:12While consuming a few at a time is fine,
16:14albeit a little rough on your mouth,
16:16eating too much at once can result in severe stomach issues,
16:19as well as seizures and heart attacks,
16:21which could obviously result in a painful death.
16:31Number 8, egg.
16:36As cool as Rocky Balboa makes it look,
16:38take our word for it and never eat raw eggs.
16:41Not only are they slimy and disgusting,
16:43but like uncooked meat,
16:45eating raw eggs can result in salmonella poisoning,
16:48which is definitely not a fun experience.
16:51It's such an intolerable pain.
16:54You're hunched over, you've got a hot pack on your stomach,
16:58you're just trying to relieve the pain somehow,
17:00but it just doesn't go away.
17:02Furthermore, the consumption of uncooked eggs
17:04can result in severe diarrhea and vomiting,
17:07which can quickly lead to dehydration and death
17:09if such symptoms are not looked after.
17:12In the worst case, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream
17:14and cause a severe infection called sepsis.
17:17That's life-threatening.
17:18And if you have a weak immune system,
17:19then even more serious complications can occur.
17:22It's just not a good idea, period.
17:34Number 7, ackee.
17:39Native to West Africa,
17:40the ackee is a fruit that is popular on the Caribbean islands,
17:43especially Jamaica.
17:45So if you're ever on vacation,
17:46it's probably better for you to steer clear
17:48of this seemingly tropical fruit.
17:50The inedible and unripened parts of an ackee
17:52contain the powerful and fatal toxins hypoglycin A and B,
17:57which, when consumed, can lead to very low glucose levels
18:00and hypoglycemia,
18:02as well as what's known as Jamaican vomiting sickness.
18:05In extreme cases, it can even cause seizures and death.
18:09The fruit is so dangerous
18:10that importing canned ackee was temporarily limited in America,
18:14so it's likely that you may have never even seen
18:16or heard of it before.
18:21Number 6, sanakji.
18:30You might not recognize this by looking at it,
18:32but sanakji ho is actually a popular snack in Korea.
18:36And what exactly is it, you ask?
18:38It's live octopus.
18:42That's right.
18:43This small underwater organism with eight arms is still alive,
18:46as in still slithering around on the plate when it's served.
18:50That means that when you consume sanakji,
18:52you are taking the risk of having the suction cups on its arms
18:55sticking to an esophagus on the way down,
18:57which can lead to choking and even death.
19:00Many reports have been made of people dying while eating sanakji,
19:03which begs the question, why do they still serve it?
19:09Number 5, mushroom.
19:12There really are a wide variety of mushrooms.
19:15There's the delicious edible type that have been eaten for centuries,
19:18there's the type that makes you see pretty colors,
19:20and then there's the poisonous type that can painfully kill you
19:23if you consume them.
19:25Poisonous mushrooms can take a varying amount of time to take effect,
19:28but generally consumption leads to kidney, liver, or respiratory failure,
19:32depending on what kind of fungi you've eaten.
19:35Just be careful if you pick them in the wild,
19:37as some of them look quite similar to the edible ones.
19:40While stomach problems are the most common consequences of mushroom poisoning,
19:43death is not out of the question either.
19:51Number 4, elderberry.
19:57Growing in both the Northern Hemisphere as well as South America and Oceania,
20:01the sambucas may look delicious,
20:03but eating them can be extremely hazardous to your health.
20:06Various parts of the plant, such as the leaves and seeds,
20:09as well as the berries themselves, contain cyanide-inducing glycoside.
20:14So when eaten uncooked and ingested into the human body,
20:17these parts then produce, you guessed it, cyanide.
20:21Essentially eating large amounts of raw elderberries is like swallowing a cyanide pill.
20:25Needless to say, it will not turn out well for you.
20:29Number 3, pufferfish blowfish.
20:31Who messes with the blowfish, Jesse?
20:34Nobody.
20:36You're damn right.
20:37One of the more famous examples of a deadly food,
20:39the blowfish is known worldwide for its toxicity and harmful effects.
20:43The organs of the blowfish, also known by names like the pufferfish and fugu in Japan,
20:48are extremely poisonous because they contain a highly toxic neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin.
20:55Blowfish? Isn't that poisonous?
20:58It's a rare delicacy for the man who has no fear of an excruciating death.
21:03So if you eat those parts and are poisoned, this can quickly lead to paralysis,
21:07while you're still conscious, and eventual death.
21:10That's why it's actually illegal for the emperor of Japan to consume it.
21:14Only chefs who have undergone years of training are allowed to prepare and serve the fish
21:18as a delicacy in restaurants, and we're glad of that at least.
21:22Fugu!
21:23It is blowfish, sir, but I should warn you that one…
21:27Come on, pal, fugu me!
21:29Number 2. Almond
21:31Do you see these almonds on my split?
21:33Yes, sir, Mrs. Johnson, I see them almonds on your split.
21:36Mr. Redman, you know I don't like almonds on my split.
21:38Almonds are so potentially dangerous when consumed
21:41that the U.S. Department of Agriculture made it mandatory for the seeds of the almond tree
21:46to go through a special heat treatment and pasteurization as of 2007.
21:50This is done to avoid infection by salmonella.
21:53However, we should also explain that there are different types of almonds,
21:57such as the sweet and bitter kinds,
21:59and it's the bitter ones that you need to be careful of.
22:01Why?
22:02They are much higher in cyanide than the sweet ones, which barely have any.
22:06Certain cultures used to use the bitter almond extract medicinally,
22:10but even minuscule doses can prove fatal, especially in children.
22:14They are even illegal to sell or buy in New Zealand due to their potential danger.
22:19Fortunately, bitter almonds in general consumption are rarely found,
22:23since the sweet kinds are what's sold in stores.
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22:421. Potato
22:44Potatoes.
22:46Boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew.
22:48Everyone's favorite side dish, especially when you're having meat,
22:51potatoes are generally safe if eaten correctly and in time.
22:55But when they turn green, stay away.
22:58Potatoes produce a glycoalkaloid called solanine.
23:02And just as this natural poison deters predators,
23:05it also deters humans as it is toxic.
23:08In one case from 1899,
23:1056 German soldiers all experienced the symptoms of solanine poisoning,
23:14which can include diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, coma, and even death.
23:18An average grown male would only have to consume roughly one pound of green potatoes
23:22to become fatally poisoned.
23:24Although we're not sure why anyone would want to consume green potatoes in the first place.
23:29Potato, potato, potato, potato.
23:31Potato, potato, potato, potato.
23:33Potato, potato, potato, potato.
23:35Potato, potato, potato, potato.
23:37Have you tried or would you try any of the foods on this list?
23:41Let us know in the comments.
23:50Did you enjoy this video?
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