5 Poisonous Foods That Can Kill You

There are foods that are healthy, and there are foods that are unhealthy but then there are some daily foods that 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 can even be deadly. So without any further delay, let’s get started.

#5 Bitter Bottle Gourd

When we think of the healthiest vegetables, Lauki (Bottle Gourd) crosses the mind. Light and cooling on the stomach, rich in fibre 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 ingesting which can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, shock, and even death.

• 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.
• 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 till date.

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.

Tip: 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.

#4 Green Potatoes

No matter which part of India you live in, potato is 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.

Now, when 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.

• National Capital Poison Center and a recent study confirmed that 450 grams of green potato is enough to make you seriously ill.
• In 1969, in a school in London, 78 boys became sick, with 17 of them hospitalized after eating a meal. The culprit later found were green potatoes.

Even cooking doesn’t eliminate solanine.

Recommendation: The next time when 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.

Also Read: How to Remove Dark Spots and Get Clear Skin?

#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 which is not properly set, which is semi-formed, is called Manda Dahi and eating such a curd tends to block the subtle channels of the body and aggravates all the 3 doshas.

If you eat this curd, it can cause constipation, weight gain, allergies, and stiffness in the joints.

Tip: 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 (gram flour) and haldi (turmeric) to make a face pack.

#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 the 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.

In a study, when 10 adults ingested bitter almonds, it led to the production of cyanide in their body, resulting in 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.

Advice: 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.

#1 Heated Honey

Is honey chilli potato one of your favourite street foods? Or you add honey in very hot water with lemon to get that extra fat off your body? Or you prefer using honey for baking cakes, since it’s a healthier alternative to refined crystallised 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.

In fact, when a modern study put this claim by Charak Samhita to test, 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 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.

Suggestion: If you want the benefits of honey, add it to tea or water which is warm and not very hot.

Summary Table of 5 Poisonous Foods

Food	Risk	Symptoms	Precaution
Bitter Bottle Gourd	Toxic compounds causing poisoning	Vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, shock, death	Check for bitterness before consuming
Green Potatoes	Solanine neurotoxin	Nausea, headaches, neurological issues, death	Discard green parts or whole green potatoes
Unset Curd (Manda Dahi)	Blocks subtle body channels, aggravates doshas	Constipation, weight gain, allergies, joint stiffness	Do not consume; use for hair or face pack instead
Bitter Almonds	Cyanide toxin	Oxygen blockage, nervous system slowdown, death	Avoid bitter almonds; buy fresh batches
Heated Honey	Formation of toxic HMF	Congestion, weight gain, respiratory & digestive issues	Consume honey raw or in warm (not hot) liquids

FAQs About These Poisonous Foods

1. Can bitter bottle gourd be detoxified by cooking?

   No, bitter bottle gourd contains toxic compounds that are not neutralized by cooking. If it tastes bitter, it should not be consumed.

2. Is it safe to cut off the green parts of potatoes and eat the rest?

   Yes, removing the green parts can reduce solanine content, but if the potato is extensively green or sprouted, it’s safer to discard it.

3. What causes curd to remain unset or semi-formed?

   Improper fermentation or temperature issues can cause curd to remain unset, resulting in Manda Dahi, which is harmful to consume.

4. How can I identify bitter almonds?

   Bitter almonds taste distinctly bitter and should be spat out immediately. They may also be older or improperly mixed with fresh almonds.

5. Why should honey not be heated?

   Heating honey destroys its nutrients and produces a toxic substance called HMF, which can cause health issues.

These were the 5 foods consuming which can be seriously detrimental for your body. Which one of these was most relatable to you? Let me know in the comments.