Natural Toxins: You Should Pay Attention to This

Natural Toxins: Raw beans contain phasing

Raw beans contain the toxic substance phasing. If you eat too much of it, not only will the nutrient depletion in your intestines be stopped, but in the worst case, it can also be fatal. Cooking the beans destroys the toxins after only 15 minutes.

• Don’t eat raw beans. Kidney beans in particular contain the toxic substance phasing. If you take in too much of it, it will damage your health. In nature, the substance protects the bean plant from predators.
• Phasing damages the epithelial cells in the gut. This prevents the absorption of nutrients through the organ into your body. Since the red blood cells stick together when the substance is absorbed in high amounts, the transport of oxygen in the blood is also prevented.
• Eating raw beans usually causes an upset stomach. Intestinal infections can also occur. Eating a large amount can also lead to death. For children, in particular, about six raw beans can be deadly, as reported by the German Consumer Advice Center.
• If someone has eaten too many raw beans, be sure to contact a doctor and alert the poison control center.

Chard, rhubarb, and beetroot contain oxalic acid

Many foods contain oxalic acid. This can not only be ingested by humans with plant foods but is also formed during degradation processes in the body.

• Oxalic acid is a toxic substance found in spinach, beetroot, Swiss chard, bamboo shoots, and cocoa. If you eat too much of it, your mouth will feel furry. The substance also causes blunt teeth.
• If you consume too much of it, your body can no longer absorb minerals such as magnesium, iron, and calcium. In addition, the calcium metabolism in your body is disturbed. In the worst case, this can lead to kidney stones. If you suffer from kidney problems, you should only eat foods containing oxalic acid in moderation.
• If you eat foods that contain oxalic acid with foods that contain calcium, calcium oxalate forms. This is poorly soluble and is not absorbed by your body through the blood. This makes the oxalic acid harmless to your body.

Apricot kernels and almonds contain hydrocyanic acid

Hydrocyanic acid also protects plants from predators. When chewing, the substance comes into contact with digestive enzymes and only then becomes harmful to humans.

• Apricot and peach kernels as well as bitter almonds, linseed, vegetable beans, and garden peas contain hydrocyanic acid. While about 50 bitter almonds can be fatal for an adult, five to seven bitter almonds are enough for children. By the way: thermal treatment of the substance means that the hydrocyanic acid is no longer effective.
• If you eat too much of it, symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, shortness of breath, and dizziness occur. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, therefore, recommends eating no more than two apricot kernels a day.
• Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women in particular should therefore be very careful when taking apricot kernels and bitter almonds.

Green potatoes and tomatoes contain solanine

The substance solanine contained in green potatoes and tomatoes is harmful to your health. Therefore, you should always let green tomatoes ripen first and discard green potatoes.

• According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, an adult should never consume more than five milligrams of solanine per kilogram of body weight.
• Solanine is found in particular in green tomatoes and in green and improperly stored potatoes.
• If you take too much solanine, you will experience severe burning and scratching in your throat as well as damage to your stomach lining. Your nerves can also be damaged by the substance.

Poppy seeds contain morphine

Poppy seeds contain the opiate morphine. If you take too much of it, you may experience difficulty breathing, pass out or stop breathing.

• Since poppy seeds can cause severe poisoning, pregnant women, in particular, should avoid eating them.
  If there are errors in poppy production, the poppy seeds contain too much morphine. This is not only dangerous to health but can also cause dependency if taken too often.
• If the poppy seeds are thermally treated, for example, baked, the morphine content is reduced. If you do not want to bake the poppy seeds, it is best to rinse them in 60 degrees hot water.

Whole grains contain phytic acid

Phytic acid prevents the absorption of various minerals in the body.

• Since phytic acid binds to minerals such as zinc and iron, these minerals cannot be absorbed by your body.
• However, since whole grain products are rich in other minerals and vitamins, you can eat the bread without hesitation.
• However, phytic acid can also lower your blood sugar and blood fat levels.