Foods You Should Never Eat Raw
There are well-known foods that should never be eaten fresh if you don't want to get sick or even die.
Raw foods, as advocates of a healthy lifestyle claim, contain many nutrients, and heat treatment destroys all or part of these substances.
If that's how you like to think, so be it. Just remember that there are some foods that should never be eaten raw. These include the following:
1. Beans
Raw beans contain proteins called lectins. These are broken down during cooking. Not all lectins are toxic. However, those found in beans—called phytohemagglutinins—are harmful in large quantities. Phytohemagglutinins are found in various legumes, but red kidney beans contain the highest concentrations.
Eating just one handful of raw kidney beans can cause nausea and vomiting. The more you eat, the more severe the symptoms. Some people who have eaten raw red kidney beans have even had to be hospitalized.
To destroy lectins in beans, simply soak them in water before cooking, then drain, add fresh water, and return to the boil. Soak beans for 5 hours and cook for at least half an hour.
2. Bitter almonds
The almonds we all love so much are sweet almonds. But there's also a bitter variety. It's the bitter variety that contains dangerous amounts of hydrogen cyanide. Bitter almonds aren't popular with the general public, but some chefs use them in their cooking.
If children consume bitter almonds, it can be fatal. Adults are not at risk of death, but they may experience dizziness, headache, vomiting, and convulsions, depending on the amount consumed.
To make bitter almonds edible, they must be properly processed. Blanching or roasting completely destroys hydrogen cyanide. If you plan to use bitter almonds in cooking, strictly follow the recipe, and use proven or reputable sources.
3. Potatoes
Raw potatoes are potentially dangerous because they contain a toxic compound called solanine.
Not every potato contains enough solanine to kill you, but you still shouldn't eat them raw. Solanine is typically found in parts of the potato that have been exposed to sunlight and turned green, as well as in potatoes that are beginning to sprout. Poisoning from raw potatoes can cause stomach pain, headaches, and paralysis. Once the potatoes have turned green, they are no longer edible. If this has happened only partially, the green parts should be cut off.
Furthermore, raw potatoes are rich in resistant starch. A moderate amount of this helps relieve constipation, while a large amount can lead to flatulence and bloating.
Don't eat potato leaves and fruits!
Potato leaves and stems are highly poisonous, whether cooked or not. The remaining potato fruits after flowering are also inedible and are not recommended for consumption.
More about solanine: How poisonous are green potatoes, or solanine poisoning?
4. Olives
Raw olives don't cause poisoning or death, but you probably wouldn't want to eat them. This is because they contain a high concentration of the compound oleuropein, which gives them a bitter taste. The salting process breaks down the oleuropein, giving the olives their beloved flavor.
There are very few ways to prepare olives. First, they are soaked in fresh water to remove the bitterness. Then they are placed in salt water for several weeks or even months. Sometimes they are also canned in salt water. Different types of olives require different curing methods. Don't be afraid to taste them to find the ones you like best. Cooked olives still contain some oleuropein, but it is no longer dangerous.
5. Forest mushrooms
Wild mushrooms are cooked because they are poorly digested fresh. Boiling or frying breaks down harmful compounds that can cause stomach upset. However, some mushrooms are poisonous. Even after cooking, they are not edible.
There are a great many mushrooms in nature, and only a small number of them are considered edible. If you don't know whether a mushroom is edible, you shouldn't eat it.
Different types of wild mushrooms can be prepared in different ways. Some toxins are destroyed by heat. Others require pickling or salting to make them edible. If you're buying edible mushrooms you're unfamiliar with, only buy from sources that sell quality-tested products.
6. Pork
Eating raw pork can cause trichinosis or pork tapeworm.
Trichinellosis is a disease caused by a worm that inhabits the small intestine after eating contaminated meat. This worm can infest not only pigs but also other animals. Tapeworm larvae are found in the raw meat of bears, foxes, wolves, and walruses.
The first signs of trichinosis are nausea and vomiting. Within a week of infection, the larvae regenerate, and the tiny parasites enter the bloodstream. This may cause muscle pain or red eyes. In very severe cases, the disease is fatal.
To prevent contamination from meat, it must be thoroughly cooked. And it's not difficult at all. All you need is patience and a meat thermometer. Cook the pork until there are no pink or red spots left inside and the meat is a uniform grayish-brown color throughout. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (71°C).
To stay healthy after eating, it's important to know which foods should be cooked and which shouldn't. We hope this list helps. Enjoy!
If that's how you like to think, so be it. Just remember that there are some foods that should never be eaten raw. These include the following:
1. Beans
Raw beans contain proteins called lectins. These are broken down during cooking. Not all lectins are toxic. However, those found in beans—called phytohemagglutinins—are harmful in large quantities. Phytohemagglutinins are found in various legumes, but red kidney beans contain the highest concentrations.
Eating just one handful of raw kidney beans can cause nausea and vomiting. The more you eat, the more severe the symptoms. Some people who have eaten raw red kidney beans have even had to be hospitalized.
To destroy lectins in beans, simply soak them in water before cooking, then drain, add fresh water, and return to the boil. Soak beans for 5 hours and cook for at least half an hour.
2. Bitter almonds
The almonds we all love so much are sweet almonds. But there's also a bitter variety. It's the bitter variety that contains dangerous amounts of hydrogen cyanide. Bitter almonds aren't popular with the general public, but some chefs use them in their cooking.
If children consume bitter almonds, it can be fatal. Adults are not at risk of death, but they may experience dizziness, headache, vomiting, and convulsions, depending on the amount consumed.
To make bitter almonds edible, they must be properly processed. Blanching or roasting completely destroys hydrogen cyanide. If you plan to use bitter almonds in cooking, strictly follow the recipe, and use proven or reputable sources.
3. Potatoes
Raw potatoes are potentially dangerous because they contain a toxic compound called solanine.
Not every potato contains enough solanine to kill you, but you still shouldn't eat them raw. Solanine is typically found in parts of the potato that have been exposed to sunlight and turned green, as well as in potatoes that are beginning to sprout. Poisoning from raw potatoes can cause stomach pain, headaches, and paralysis. Once the potatoes have turned green, they are no longer edible. If this has happened only partially, the green parts should be cut off.
Furthermore, raw potatoes are rich in resistant starch. A moderate amount of this helps relieve constipation, while a large amount can lead to flatulence and bloating.
Don't eat potato leaves and fruits!
Potato leaves and stems are highly poisonous, whether cooked or not. The remaining potato fruits after flowering are also inedible and are not recommended for consumption.
More about solanine: How poisonous are green potatoes, or solanine poisoning?
4. Olives
Raw olives don't cause poisoning or death, but you probably wouldn't want to eat them. This is because they contain a high concentration of the compound oleuropein, which gives them a bitter taste. The salting process breaks down the oleuropein, giving the olives their beloved flavor.
There are very few ways to prepare olives. First, they are soaked in fresh water to remove the bitterness. Then they are placed in salt water for several weeks or even months. Sometimes they are also canned in salt water. Different types of olives require different curing methods. Don't be afraid to taste them to find the ones you like best. Cooked olives still contain some oleuropein, but it is no longer dangerous.
5. Forest mushrooms
Wild mushrooms are cooked because they are poorly digested fresh. Boiling or frying breaks down harmful compounds that can cause stomach upset. However, some mushrooms are poisonous. Even after cooking, they are not edible.
There are a great many mushrooms in nature, and only a small number of them are considered edible. If you don't know whether a mushroom is edible, you shouldn't eat it.
Different types of wild mushrooms can be prepared in different ways. Some toxins are destroyed by heat. Others require pickling or salting to make them edible. If you're buying edible mushrooms you're unfamiliar with, only buy from sources that sell quality-tested products.
6. Pork
Eating raw pork can cause trichinosis or pork tapeworm.
Trichinellosis is a disease caused by a worm that inhabits the small intestine after eating contaminated meat. This worm can infest not only pigs but also other animals. Tapeworm larvae are found in the raw meat of bears, foxes, wolves, and walruses.
The first signs of trichinosis are nausea and vomiting. Within a week of infection, the larvae regenerate, and the tiny parasites enter the bloodstream. This may cause muscle pain or red eyes. In very severe cases, the disease is fatal.
To prevent contamination from meat, it must be thoroughly cooked. And it's not difficult at all. All you need is patience and a meat thermometer. Cook the pork until there are no pink or red spots left inside and the meat is a uniform grayish-brown color throughout. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (71°C).
To stay healthy after eating, it's important to know which foods should be cooked and which shouldn't. We hope this list helps. Enjoy!
Author of the article: Natalia Semenova "TopCook"
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