Special planning of the "Health from Food" series丨Beware of "diseases from the mouth", be careful when eating these foods

Did you know that common foods in our daily lives may also cause serious poisoning reactions? So which foods should we be more careful when eating?

1. Undercooked green beans

Green beans are rich in vitamins and minerals. Eating them properly can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood pressure. However, they also contain toxic substances such as "saponins" and "lectins". If they are not cooked properly, they can cause poisoning, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, and can be life-threatening in severe cases. Children are particularly vulnerable to these symptoms. Therefore, they must be fully cooked during the cooking process. It is strictly forbidden to eat undercooked beans. Other foods such as cowpeas and lentils should also pay attention to these issues.

2. Long-soaked black fungus

Fungus is an important edible fungus in my country. It is rich in nutritional value and is known as the "vegetarian food". However, if fungus is soaked for a long time, it will breed Pseudomonas cocovenenans and its metabolite, fumonisin. This toxin is heat-resistant and highly toxic. Ingesting a small amount can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. In severe cases, it can lead to multiple organ failure or even death. Experts recommend soaking fungus in cold water for 1 to 2 hours before eating, and no more than 4 hours at most. In particular, you should pay attention to mold caused by soaking for a long time.

3. Red (moldy) sugarcane

Sugarcane is sweet and juicy, rich in sucrose, fructose, glucose, iron and other trace elements. However, moldy sugarcane pathogen Pyrizosporium (Arthrosporum) will produce a toxin called 3-nitropropionic acid, which can cause poisoning symptoms after consumption. Mild symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, and fainting, while severe cases include convulsions, coma, respiratory failure, and even death. Therefore, please do not eat moldy red sugarcane.

4. Bitter Nuts

Peanuts, melon seeds, walnuts, pistachios and other nuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and various vitamins, but bitter and spoiled nuts contain a highly toxic and strong carcinogen - aflatoxin, which is 68 times more toxic than arsenic. Even a small dose can cause poisoning, with symptoms such as abdominal distension, anorexia, vomiting, pain in the liver area, ascites, coma, and may even lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Therefore, once you eat bitter, musty, or spicy nuts, please spit them out as soon as possible and rinse your mouth in time.

Other foods that may cause poisoning include uncooked soy milk, unpasteurized raw milk, fresh day lily, sprouted potatoes, rotten ginger, sweet potatoes with black spots, unripe tomatoes, improperly handled puffer fish, excessive ginkgo nuts, cherry kernels, apple cores, and any rotten and spoiled food. What other foods do you know that may cause poisoning? Welcome to add to your list!

This article was scientifically reviewed by Li Suyun, deputy chief nutritionist and doctor of nutrition at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.