Fresh fruits and vegetables contain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed for growth and are critical to a healthy diet. However, some have natural toxins. Ginkgo biloba (also known as maidenhair tree) is one good example. Not long ago, a man in Hong Kong developed poisoning symptoms after eating 50 ginkgoes in one go. Do other fruits and vegetables contain toxins, and how can we avoid poisoning?
8 Types of Fruits and Vegetables Containing Toxins
The following are common fruits and vegetables that contain natural toxins:1. Beans
Green beans, red kidney beans, and white kidney beans, among others, all contain a natural toxin called phytohaemagglutinin. If you eat them uncooked or undercooked, you may experience food poisoning within one to three hours.Poisoning symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Preparation: Soak in water before thoroughly boiling to destroy the toxins. Canned beans have been heat-treated and do not need to be recooked.
2. Cassava
The edible roots of cassava are also known as Manihot esculenta and contain the natural toxin cyanogenic glycoside. Bitter cassava contains higher levels of toxins than its sweet counterpart. If eaten uncooked or undercooked, its toxin will be converted into hydrogen cyanide, which may cause food poisoning. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning can appear within minutes.Poisoning symptoms: throat constriction, nausea, vomiting, headache, etc. Severe cases may result in death.
Preparation: Serve only after being thoroughly cooked.
3. Fresh Bamboo Shoots
Fresh bamboo shoots contain cyanogenic glycosides in similar levels to cassava in terms of toxicity.Poisoning symptoms: throat constriction, nausea, vomiting, headache, etc.
Preparation: Cut into thin slices and cook thoroughly before serving.
4. Fruit Pits and Seeds
Seeds and pits of apples, apricots, pears, prunes, plums, cherries, peaches, etc., contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides. The flesh of these fruits, of course, does not contain toxins. When people consume fruit cores without spitting out the seeds, the cyanogenic glycosides will be converted into toxic hydrogen cyanide. Young children are most susceptible and can develop cyanide poisoning after swallowing a few seeds or pits.Poisoning symptoms: throat constriction, nausea, vomiting, headache, etc.
Preparation: Do not consume pits and seeds. Remove them before eating the fruit.
5. Potatoes
Potatoes contain natural toxins called glycoalkaloids that will not cause adverse effects on humans when eaten in small amounts. However, green, sprouting, damaged, or rotten potatoes may contain high amounts of glycoalkaloids, most of which are found in the green part of the potato, the peel, or just beneath the peel.Poisoning symptoms: burning sensation in the mouth or severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting
Preparation: Do not eat green potatoes with signs of germination, damage, or rot. Glycoalkaloids cannot be destroyed by pan-frying, sautéing, boiling, poaching, or deep-frying.
6. Fresh Fungus
Fresh fungus, particularly black fungus, contains a light-sensitive substance. Once eaten, this substance will migrate to the epidermal cells of the body. Sun exposure can then cause solar dermatitis.Poisoning symptoms: itching, edema, pain, and even local necrosis. This substance can also cause throat edema and breathing difficulties and even be life-threatening.
Preparation: Blanch in boiling water before eating. Sun-dried fungus is nontoxic.
7. Fresh Daylily
Daylilies contain the natural toxin colchicine in their roots and flowers. Eating fresh daylily not soaked in water or cooked thoroughly may cause poisoning.Poisoning symptoms: gastrointestinal upset such as abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea
Preparation: Soak in clean water for one to two hours, then cook thoroughly before serving. Sun-dried daylily is nontoxic.
8. Ginkgo Biloba Seeds
Also known as “white nut,” these come from the Ginkgo biloba tree and contain the toxin Gingotoxin 4'-methoxypyridoxine and cyanogenic glycosides. This toxin can affect the nervous system, and too much can result in poisoning. The toxin typically resides in the food storage tissue of Ginkgo biloba. It has anti-vitamin B6 properties and can inhibit the formation of 4-aminobutyric acid from glutamic acid, which play a role in information transmission between nerve cells. Children are especially susceptible to food poisoning from ginkgo consumption.Poisoning symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, confusion, and convulsions
Preparation: Unripe and uncooked ginkgo is highly toxic. Ginkgo should be cooked before consumption to reduce toxicity, and always restrict consumption to only a few seeds per day. Children, older people, and people with poor health should be wary of it.
A Toxic Amount of Ginkgo Biloba Seeds
According to the latest July statistics, 151 people suffered from food poisoning in Japan in 2022, resulting in three deaths. In addition, according to the 2022 data from the Japan Poison Information Center, there were 263 cases of reported ginkgo poisoning consultations in the past 10 years, with patients under 5 years old accounting for 70 percent of the cases.On June 12, a 57-year-old man in Hong Kong boiled 50 Ginkgo biloba seeds in sweet soup. About two and a half hours later, he developed dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, and increased heartbeat. His condition turned stable after treatment.
Ms. Li Qing, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physician in Japan, told The Epoch Times that Ginkgo biloba is one of the bestselling herbal health products in the United States and Europe. However, most health products use the extract of ginkgo leaves instead of the seeds of ginkgo trees.
Ms. Li emphasized that a healthy adult should eat no more than 10 cooked seeds and always avoid eating them raw.
TCM: Ginkgo Nourishes the Lungs and Relieves Asthma
Ginkgo has a long history of being used in TCM prescriptions. The ancient TCM classic “Compendium of Materia Medica“ says: ”Ginkgo biloba possesses light smell and strong flavor, is astringent in nature, white in color, and belongs to gold in the five elements. It can therefore enter the lung meridian, benefit lung qi, stabilize asthma and cough, and reduce stool. However, too much of it will cause excessive astringency and make one feel bloated.”The Five Elements Theory, which forms the theoretical foundation of TCM, believes that the five elements—wood, fire, earth, gold (metal), and water—correspond to the five internal organs: liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. These, in turn, correspond to the five colors: green, red, yellow, white, and black. Ginkgo, being white, pairs with gold, and the lungs also belong to gold. Therefore, ginkgo benefits the lungs and can relieve cough. Moreover, it can reduce the need to urinate frequently. However, excessive consumption can lead to dizziness and shortness of breath.
Ms. Li said that according to TCM theory, diet is also medicinal. When foods that contain natural toxins are prepared correctly, toxicity can be eliminated, allowing their medicinal properties to shine. She also provided a nutritious, medicinal meal recipe.
Lily Red Date Ginkgo Soup
Ingredients: 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of lily, 10 red dates, 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of ginkgo, 300 grams (10.6 ounces) of beef, two slices of ginger, and a little saltPreparation:
- After scalding the fresh beef with boiling water, cut it into thin slices and set aside. Remove the ginkgo seed shells, soak in water to remove the outer sheath, and then wash with water and set aside.
- Wash the lily, red dates, and ginger with clean water. Remove the pits from the red dates. Peel off the ginger and cut it into two slices.
- Add enough water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Then add lily, red dates, ginkgo, and ginger slices, and cook on medium heat until the lily is well done. Add beef, and continue to cook until it is well done. Add a little salt and serve immediately.
Ms. Li said that too much ginkgo alone can cause flatulence, but pairing the ginkgo with spicy ginger neutralizes this effect.
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