Pink Blob

Foods You Should Never Eat Raw

Potatoes

Stick to cooked potatoes. These starchy things contain toxic compounds called glycoalkaloids that can mess up your digestive system.

Rhubarb leaves

There's a reason why we eat the stalks and not the leaves. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid, which makes then toxic.

Lima beans

These legumes contain a compound called linamarin, which turns into cyanide. Fortunately, cooking lima beans makes them safe to eat.

Red kidney beans

Eating just four or five of these raw can really hurt you. Red kidney beans contain lectins, which can cause severe gastrointestinal distress.

Wild mushrooms

While most mushrooms you will find in the supermarket are safe to eat raw, it's not advisable to eat wild mushrooms without cooking them.

Eggs

Eating raw eggs can make you really sick. This is because they may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

Cassava

Similar to lima beans, raw cassava also contains unsafe levels of cyanide.

Elderberries

Not every edible berry should be consumed raw. This is the case of elderberries, which should be boiled before consumption.

Eggplant

Like potatoes, eggplant also contains solanine, which is a glycoalkaloid poison. For this reason, you shouldn't eat it raw.

Sprouts

Pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella can contaminate seeds even before they grow, so eating raw sprouts can be risky.