Okra vs. Datura? Taro vs. Water-dropping Goddess of Mercy? Celery vs. Poison Hemlock? They look similar but are really inedible.

Toxic and inedible series: Okra vs. Datura? Taro vs. Water-dropping Guanyin? Celery vs. Poisonous Hemlock? They look similar but are really inedible.

In our daily life, we often see things that look similar, and the same is true for food. Some plants look similar, but some are edible, while others are definitely not. There are many cases circulating on the market that are caused by accidentally eating some "similar-looking foods". In this regard, some foods, although they look the same, are really not edible.

What happens if you get poisoned by eating a substance that looks like okra?

Okra is a vegetable that everyone prefers to eat in life. It is known as the "king of vegetables"; it looks attractive, tastes special, is easy to cook and is rich in nutrition. There is a plant that looks similar to okra, but it contains toxic substances, which can cause poisoning after being eaten by mistake. It is called "Datura", and many cases of poisoning caused by eating foods that look like okra are caused by it.

Datura belongs to the Solanaceae family and is a poisonous plant throughout the plant. Accidental ingestion of Datura leaves, flowers, seeds, and fruits may lead to poisoning problems, with its seeds being the most toxic.

Specifically, the whole plant of Datura contains toxic alkaloids such as scopolamine. The intake of this toxic substance will inhibit the signal conduction of the central nervous system. If accidentally ingested, it will cause headaches, dizziness, convulsions, and confusion. Severe poisoning may even cause coma or death.

Datura poisoning is relatively serious and symptoms usually appear 20 minutes to 3 hours after accidental ingestion. More serious cases may cause convulsions, drowsiness, cyanosis, or even coma and death after 24 hours.

If accidental ingestion occurs, the patient should be hospitalized immediately for treatment. In addition to taking detoxifying medications, vomiting should be induced promptly after admission.

How to distinguish okra from datura?

From the perspective of species, okra itself belongs to the Malvaceae family, while Datura belongs to the Solanaceae family, which are essential differences.

In terms of morphology, the leaves of okra are palm-shaped and divided, while the leaves of datura are oval and undivided.

Judging from the shape of the fruit, the okra fruit is shaped like a pepper, while the fruit produced after the datura flower fades is spherical.

Moreover, there is a clear difference in plant height between okra and datura. The mature plant of okra is about 2 meters tall, while that of datura is about 1 meter.

Taro vs. Dripping Guanyin?

There is a kind of food that looks like taro and is often confused and eaten by people. Some people cannot tell the difference and eat it by mistake, which then produces high toxicity. It is "Dripping Guanyin".

The dripping Guanyin is actually the "calla lily". Because it drips water from the tips or edges of its leaves during its growth, and the flowers of the calla lily look like Guanyin, it is named "Dripping Guanyin".

As for Calla Lily, it is an ornamental perennial herb. The calcium oxalate in Calla Lily will form needle-shaped crystals. These crystalline substances will irritate the skin and mucous membranes and induce itching, edema and other problems. In more serious cases, it can even cause suffocation and death.

How to distinguish taro from calla lily (dripping guanyin)?

To identify and differentiate taro and calla lily, it is recommended that you distinguish them by their leaves and stems.

Judging from the leaves, the color of taro is relatively light, while the leaves of calla lily appear darker; in addition, the leaves of taro are shield-shaped, while the leaves of calla lily are "spirally arranged".

From the stem point of view, there is almost no difference in the length of the two plants, but the stem of taro is thinner than that of calla lily.

Can't tell the difference between celery and poison hemlock?

Celery is a very familiar vegetable in our daily life. It can be eaten mixed together, fried, or mixed with stuffing for dumplings. It can be eaten in many ways, has a refreshing and attractive taste, and has great nutritional value. However, there is also a plant that is easily confused with celery, and that is "poison hemlock."

Poison hemlock is also a plant that is poisonous throughout the plant. The main toxins it contains are methylconiine, coniine and other substances.

After accidentally ingesting poison hemlock, the toxins it contains mainly excite the central nervous system, causing dangerous symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, limb weakness, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, it can even lead to death.

There are tricks to distinguish:

Poison hemlock is similar to water celery. It is worth noting that the most obvious distinguishing feature between water celery and poison (wild) celery is the presence or absence of fuzz on the stems. Wild celery has fuzz on its stems, while normal water celery does not.

Mango vs. sea mango, not all mangoes are edible:

Mango is a sweet tropical fruit that is enjoyed by people of all ages. However, many people in the south often see a fruit that looks very similar to mango. Yes, this is the "sea mango".

The taste of sea mango is very different from that of mango, and it also contains highly toxic substances such as mangoline and toxic bitter substances. If accidentally ingested, it will cause basic food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting, and in severe cases it may be life-threatening.

There are some tips to distinguish the two types of mangoes:

Judging from the appearance of the fruit, sea mango is an orange-red round fruit, while mango is a green or golden yellow waist-shaped fruit.

Judging from the flowers, the sea mango blooms white flowers, while the normal mango blooms clusters of gray-yellow flowers.

In addition to those mentioned above, plants in groups like Sanguisorba officinalis (False Sanguisorba officinalis), ginseng (Phrotrauma latifolia), honeysuckle (Gelsemium elegans), chestnut (Chestnut), cherry (Nandina domestica) are also substances that are difficult to distinguish in life. The substances in brackets that are easily "confused by the naked eye" are worthy of everyone's attention and understanding. They all contain a certain amount of different types of toxic substances, which will bring serious harm to the body after consumption, and everyone needs to be cautious.

Some tips for buying and eating food:

When purchasing food, please choose regular supermarkets or large farmers' markets, and avoid being tempted by small bargains. Things sold by small vendors are more likely to pose safety risks.

Try not to buy unfamiliar food (mushrooms, fruits, etc.) and never eat food given by strangers.

When purchasing any food, the principle should be "freshness + hygiene".

When purchasing food, identify and distinguish them properly to avoid adding risks to your health.

Okra vs. Datura, taro vs. Guanyin, real mango vs. sea mango, I hope you can learn the basic identification methods; buy reliable and safe food, refuse toxic substances that should not be touched, and I hope that everyone's life will be healthier and worry-free.