I’ve always been curious about weird or exotic foods, but some of these really made me pause. You’d be surprised how many popular dishes around the world come with serious risks, like actual health hazards. Most of them look harmless, even delicious, but they can be a severe danger if you're not careful. I’m not saying never try them… but maybe read the fine print first. Would you take the risk, or stick to something a little safer?
Note: The content of this article is not medical advice.
Ackee
Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and a key ingredient in the country’s beloved dish, ackee and saltfish. When prepared correctly, it has a soft, creamy texture and a mild, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with savory seasonings. But here’s the catch: ackee must be fully ripe and cleaned before eating. If consumed unripe or with its toxic seeds, it can cause serious illness due to a natural toxin called hypoglycin. It’s one of those foods that’s both delicious and dangerous, so it demands respect in the kitchen.
San-nakji
San-nakji is a Korean delicacy that’s not only creative but controversial because of its potential health risks.
Sannakji are octopus tentacles that are kept alive to the point they squirm. This daring serve is seasoned well, but only a few can eat it. This is because the tentacles can still stick inside the throat, causing a choking feeling. It can even damage the esophagus.
Silverstripe blaasop
Native to New Zealand, the silverstripe blaasop is an attractive fish that’s as dangerous as it’s cute.
The fish contains ciguatoxin, eating which is so poisonous it can literally alter your mental state and induce hallucinations. Eaters suffer from extreme stress and can spend days or even months in the hospital because there’s no specific treatment, just general care. Yikes.
Basashi
This might be the most controversial dish because the Japanese are well aware of its risks, yet still serve it.
Basashi is raw horse meat served sashimi-style. Although delectable, it has way too many risks to be taken lightly. The biggest of them all is bacteria, which can easily happen if ill-prepared.
Fesikh
A pungent odor follows fesikh, an Egyptian dish that’s basically fermented mullet fish.
Fesikh is served with a falafel-like dish, and although it tastes amazing, it poses serious risks. The fermentation of the fish can produce certain toxins, which can severely harm us. It also carries food poisoning risks and has caused bouts of botulism in eaters.
Rice
Surprising, right? Who knew that rice could make you ill? But it can! Uncooked rice may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. It is best to thoroughly cook your rice, then eat it while hot, or store it immediately in the fridge so the spores do not have a chance to grow.
Maguro no shinko
The Japanese are certainly daring because they decided to feast on this dish, which is literally just a tuna fish’s heart. It is actually a tradition to eat the tuna heart after catching the fish for good luck!
Fishing enthusiasts may know this, but for those who don’t, tuna heart is extremely dangerous because it may have high levels of mercury. Mercury poisoning can cause anxiety, numbness, memory problems, or even death. Don't eat too much raw fish in general if you want to avoid these issues!
Fugu kimo
Seriously, what is it with the Japanese? This is literally a pufferfish’s liver, and for those who don’t know, pufferfish are toxic.
The dish is so controversial and dangerous that only a few licensed chefs are permitted to cook it. Even then, ingesting the smallest dose of puffer fish toxin tetrodotoxin can not only make you severely sick but even kill you. Yep, this is one food to avoid like the plague!
Fugu sashimi
If pufferfish liver is bad, imagine the fish itself. And yes, of course, this dish is served in Japan.
The pufferfish sashimi is so harmful that only a select few chefs are allowed to cook it. But the risks easily outweigh the pros; fugu sashimi can cause severe toxicity, which can lead to delirium, hallucinations, paralysis, and respiratory issues. It can even induce coma and, well, is fatal…
Hakarl
This Icelandic dish is pretty tame, considering what we’ve seen, but that doesn’t negate how bad it can be on its own.
Hakarl is fermented shark meat and is as controversial as it gets. But let’s move on from that and talk about what happens when you eat it. You may get a bad case of food poisoning and just spend the day crouched next to the toilet, hoping for a break from the cramps.
Cherry Pits
There is a very good reason as to why you should always spit out your cherry pits. If you don't, you will die. Cherry pits actually contain arsenic, a lethal poison that will make you very ill almost instantly.
Eating just a few cherry pits is enough to put you in the hospital, but you may never wake up if you eat too many.
Elderberries
Elderberries are fantastic for preventing cold and flu symptoms. Many people take elderberry supplements to help them stay healthy. But if you eat unripe elderberries, leaves of the elderberry bush, or bark from the tree, you just might die.
Elderberries contain cyanide, a chemical that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. This sounds like the opposite of what elderberries are supposed to do.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is actually poisonous—well, the leaves of the rhubarb plant are. The stalks are safe to eat and have a wonderful, sour taste, but stay far, far away from those big leaves.
The leaves contain oxalic acid, which can make your stomach turn, cause vomiting, or even put you in a coma. Don't eat the leaves, just eat the stalks. And add some sugar- they can be sour!
Cashews
Cashews contain a chemical called urushiol, which is often found in poison ivy. When eaten in abundance, this chemical may kill you.
However, it is only found in raw cashews. If the nuts are boiled or steamed, the chemical is removed, making the food safe to eat. The bottom line- never eat a wild, raw cashew.
Absinthe
This green liquor is known around the world for multiple reasons. While most people think that drinking absinthe will cause hallucinations, the truth is even worse.
Absinthe has a chemical called thujone, which comes from the wormwood in the drink. This chemical can cause seizures, dizziness, nightmares, and worse!
Most Absinthe doesn't have enough thujone to cause these serious issues, but if you want to drink absinthe, just be sure it comes from a reputable source, and don't drink too much!
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