Poisonous Vegetables!!!

By Jae LeePeriod 9

Lima Beans• Lima beans have to be cooked fully because the

raw beans contain a product called limarin. Only few of lima beans can get you seriously ill so always make sure you cooked it for at least 10 minutes and never ever put them in salad raw!!! Cooking them for at least 10 minutes makes them harmless and gives you lots of good nutrition and you can make a lot of good food out of it.

Cassava Root

Tomato• Leaves and vines of tomato plants contain poison

such as atropine that causes you to feel dizziness, headache, and upset stomach. Green tomatoes also contain this poison and one death has been caused because of this but generally the amount of 'tomatine' in them are too small to cause any harm. However you always need to refuse tea made from the leaves because there are still something offered on occasion.

Kidney Beans• Kidney beans contain a toxin

phytohaemagglutinin, which makes you extremely ill and in some rare cases has caused deaths. Kidney beans MUST be boiled for 10 minutes before cooking, also including slow cooking. Kidney beans become five times more toxic when heated to the temperatures used in slow cooking than when they are raw. So never add kidney beans to a chili or stew without boiling them first! Your best bet is to just use canned kidney beans when you are cooking. The chances of you going to the hospital from canned kidney beans are very slim.

Chocolate (cocoa beans)• Even thought Chocolate are not poisonous to

humans, the ingredient theobromine is dangerous to dogs and cats. That is why it is in this for the poisonous vegetables. However they seem to enjoy the taste of chocolate so never leave it somewhere where they could just reach and eat it without you knowing. As little as 40 grams can make them violently ill. It is treatable in most cases but very expensive and in larger doses will kill your dog or cat. Humans are not immune to it either, it is just too low a dose to bother most of us though some elderly chocolate lovers may find themselves unable to tolerate it.

Cherries• Cherries contains cyanogenic glycosides that

creates cyanide in the pits. It is more dangerous if you chew them. This makes children particularly vulnerable, especially if they get into a full bowl and don't de-pit the fruit. Some people die every year (not just children) from this poison. For most of people, one or two is not a problem.

Potatoes• Potatoes are harmless unless they have turned

green on the skins. They contain solanine, which develops with exposure to light. This is one reason to always keep potatoes in a cool, dark place. If you eat too much, you will experience severe digestive problems or even death. However if you control how much you eat and place them in a cool refrigerator, you could use them in a lot of different foods to enjoy a great meal!

Apple• An apple a day is healthy for you. Unless you eat

the seeds. Like cherries and other fruits, they contain cyanogenic glycosides causing cyanide. Seeds from one apple would not cause too much harm but people have eaten enough to die from it in the past. These ten fruits and vegetables are healthy if consumed carefully but remember that illness and death can be lurking where you least expect it!