Generally, eating vegetables is beneficial to health. Vegetables are essential foods on the table. However, this type of food can also cause poisoning and harm to health. For example, a man who eats bitter gourd can be poisoned. So, what is the specific reason for bitter gourd causing poisoning? Let's find out together!
Why does eating bitter gourd cause vomiting blood?
Recently, an old man made a dish of bitter gourd stir-fried with meat using the bitter gourds he grew. After taking a bite, he found it very bitter but didn't think much of it, so he ate most of the dish. One hour later, the old man suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable and started vomiting and having diarrhea, even vomiting blood. After going to the hospital for examination, it was diagnosed as food poisoning.
Some people say that bitter gourds can be divided into bitter ones and sweet ones. The toxins in bitter gourds are as poisonous as arsenic!
Reasons for bitter gourd poisoning
Bitter gourd, also known as night-blooming cereus, bottle gourd, or calabash, has a mild taste and tender quality, and is one of the commonly consumed vegetables in summer.
It contains proteins and various trace elements that help enhance the body's immune function. However, bitter gourds can be divided into bitter ones and sweet ones, and they are similar in appearance and not easy to differentiate. Bitter gourds contain a plant toxin called cucurbitacin glycoside, and even when cooked, their toxicity is not easily broken down. Eating a small amount can cause poisoning. Currently, there is no specific treatment for bitter gourd poisoning, mainly through emesis, diuresis, and symptomatic treatment. Therefore, to avoid consuming bitter gourds by mistake, you can cut open the stem part before cooking, taste it with the tip of your tongue, and if there is a bitter taste, it is a poisonous bottle gourd and should not be eaten. If food poisoning occurs, seek immediate medical treatment.
Be cautious when consuming the following vegetables
1. Potatoes
Potatoes that have turned green or sprouted contain solanine. Solanine is a highly toxic "natural substance" and is a glycosidic alkaloid.
If a large amount of green and sprouted potatoes is consumed, it can cause acute poisoning. The toxic dose of solanine for the human body can be as low as 2-5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, and a dose of 3-6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight can be fatal.
2. Fresh wood ear mushrooms
Fresh wood ear mushrooms contain a light-sensitive substance called porphyrin. After consumption, the skin can develop dermatitis when exposed to light, resulting in symptoms such as itching, swelling, and pain. Some individuals may even experience difficulty breathing due to throat swelling.
3. Fresh yellow flowers
The flower buds of fresh yellow flowers contain colchicine. After consumption, it can be oxidized in the body to produce toxic colchicine, causing poisoning. Research has found that after consuming 50-100 grams of fresh yellow flowers (containing 0.1-0.2 milligrams of colchicine) in adults, acute poisoning symptoms may occur.
Therefore, before consuming fresh yellow flowers, they must be processed. The flowers can be blanched in boiling water, then soaked and rinsed thoroughly in clean water. This ensures safety. Colchicine is not heat-resistant and can be destroyed by boiling for about 10 minutes.
4. Sword bean and pea pods
These vegetables contain a clotting substance called lectin, which can cause blood clotting and is a toxic protein. The content of these toxic substances is particularly high in "old sword beans" that mature in autumn, and consumption by humans can cause food poisoning. However, these toxins can be destroyed by high-temperature treatment.
