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Nine Foods You Should Never Eat Raw
Raw food diets are all the rage but not all raw foods are good for you. Many people think that they can eat any food raw, but that is not always the case. There are a few foods that you should never eat raw if you want to stay healthy. Below, are some of the top foods that you should never eat raw. Stay safe and enjoy your food!
Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are a type of legume that tastes great in chili, bean dip, or burritos. However, you should never eat raw kidney beans. Raw kidney beans contain a toxin called phytohaemagglutinin, which can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you eat enough raw kidney beans, you could die. To avoid this, always cook your kidney beans before eating them.
Lima Beans
Lima beans, like kidney beans, should always be cooked fully. Lima beans include cyanogenic glycosides, a toxic chemical that is generated to defend plants and releases deadly hydrogen cyanide when chewed raw. Cooking the lima beans will destroy the toxin and make them safe to eat.
Potatoes
Raw potatoes contain solanine, which is a toxin that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even death. To avoid this, always cook your potatoes before eating them. If a potato has green spots on it, make sure you cut them out before cooking the potatoes. Avoid eating raw or green potatoes since the solanine inside may cause food poisoning.
Hot Dogs
Although hot dogs aren’t the most nutritious meal as is, consuming them uncooked can be disastrous. It’s a widespread belief that, since hot dogs are already cooked, they may be eaten straight from the package like lunch meat. This isn’t the case at all. Because hot dogs are not always cooked to stem-end temperatures, they may become infected with the bacteria Listeria, which can only be destroyed by reheating. To avoid getting sick, always cook your hot dogs before eating them.
Eggplant
The same poison that gives raw potatoes a bad reputation is present in raw eggplant. Eggplants harvested before they are fully developed, have the most solanine. You would have to eat a large amount of raw eggplant to suffer from solanine poisoning’s unpleasant gastrointestinal effects, but you might as well cook it before eating.
Wild Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a type of fungi that can be found both in the wild and at grocery stores. Mushrooms are high in antioxidants, B vitamins, and potassium. Heat is required to release some of these nutrients and advantages, though. Raw mushrooms are also high in carbohydrates and low in nutrients. They are one of the most concentrated sources of a naturally-occurring toxin, agaritine, which can cause stomach irritation. Raw mushrooms are difficult to digest and contain one of the highest amounts of carbs available. For this reason, they should always be cooked before being eaten.
Raw Milk
Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to a high temperature to kill any harmful bacteria that may be present. Raw milk can contain harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and listeria, which can cause food poisoning. Raw milk also has a high amount of lactose, which can cause uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms in those who are intolerant to it. For these reasons, it is best not to drink raw milk and to stick with pasteurized milk instead.
Eggs
Raw eggs can contain Salmonella, it is always a good idea to cook eggs before eating them. You should also avoid eating foods that contain raw eggs such as raw cookie dough, brownie batter, and cake batter. If you do need to use raw eggs in a recipe that is going to be uncooked, you should opt for pasteurized versions.
Canned Beans
While canned beans are a convenient and quick way to add protein and fiber to your diet, they can also be dangerous if not cooked properly. Canned beans contain a chemical called lectins, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea. The amount of lectin in canned beans is significantly reduced when they are cooked, so be sure to always heat them before eating.
There are many foods that you should never eat raw, for various reasons. Some of these foods may contain harmful bacteria or toxins that can only be destroyed by cooking them. Others simply need to be cooked in order to release their nutrients and make them more digestible. If you’re ever unsure whether or not a food is safe to eat raw, it’s best to cook it before consuming it.
