1. Apple
Toxin: Cyanide
Toxic Part: The Core
No matter where you go, apples are definitely a popular fruit. Similar to other items on this list, apples also contain cyanide, though not in high amounts. The flesh doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals, but you’ll find cyanide in the apple core. Eating an entire apple core won’t kill you, but it’s definitely not good for your body. Of course, if you eat too many apple cores (assuming you chew and swallow them), you could experience complications.

2. Tomato
Toxin: Alkaloids
Toxic Part: Stem and Leaves
Although tomatoes are beloved in many countries, they are indeed toxic. While the flesh itself doesn’t contain toxins, the stems and leaves are rich in a chemical called glycoalkaloid. This substance is more concentrated in wild tomatoes, but even cultivated ones have some level of it. It can lead to stomach disorders and anxiety. The stems and leaves can be used as cooking flavorings, but they must be removed before eating. This chemical is quite potent—in fact, it’s often used as an insect repellent.

3. Cherry
Toxin: Hydrogen Cyanide
Toxic Part: The Core
Cherries are definitely one of the most versatile fruits—you can eat them raw, cooked, roasted, turned into jam or candy, and even paired with certain wines. Despite their benefits, cherries are toxic. If you absentmindedly bite into the cherry pit and leave it in your mouth without spitting it out, you might swallow hydrogen cyanide. Once a cherry pit is chewed or crushed, it automatically produces hydrogen cyanide. Mild poisoning symptoms include headache, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, palpitations, and vomiting. Large amounts of hydrogen cyanide can lead to breathing difficulties, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, kidney failure, and other reactions such as coma, seizures, and, in the worst cases, respiratory failure leading to death.

4. Almonds
Toxin: Cyanide
Toxic Part: Raw Almonds
Most people always think of almonds as a type of nut, but in reality, they are seeds—and extremely popular in global cuisine. Similar to cashews, raw almonds are highly toxic unless they undergo some form of heat treatment. The bitter variety, which is rich in cyanide, is especially dangerous. In many countries, selling unprocessed almonds that haven’t had their toxins removed is illegal.

5. Red Chili
Toxin: Capsaicin
Toxic Part: The Red Chili Itself
You’ve probably eaten red chilies at some point in your life—whether super spicy or mildly hot, every chili contains a chemical called capsaicin. In chilies, capsaicin is what creates the heat. Of course, eating one chili isn’t an issue, but if you consume too many to a certain extent, it can become life-threatening. This chemical is quite powerful—people use it in paint strippers and even police-grade pepper spray. In extremely spicy chilies like habaneros, the capsaicin content is so high that simply cutting into the chili can cause an immediate burning sensation on your skin.

6. Potato
Toxin: Alkaloids
Toxic Part: Stems and Leaves, and Even the Potato Itself
We’ve all heard stories about potatoes—whether it's the Irish Potato Famine or other historical events, they’re well-known. But you might not have heard that potatoes are also toxic. The stems and leaves of the potato plant are poisonous, and even the potato itself can be toxic under certain conditions. If you’ve looked closely at potatoes, you may have noticed some have a slight green tint—this is caused by glycoalkaloids. There have been cases in the past where people died from potato toxicity, although such incidents are rare and usually result from drinking potato leaf tea or eating green potatoes. Death doesn’t occur suddenly; victims typically feel weak at first, then fall into a coma. Don’t worry about occasionally eating a greenish potato chip, but definitely throw away sprouted or green-skinned potatoes—don’t cook or eat them, especially keep them away from children.

7. Mushrooms
Toxin: Muscarine and others
Toxic Part: About 5% of Mushrooms
There are about 5,000 types of mushrooms in the U.S., with roughly 100 known to be toxic and fewer than ten capable of causing death. Even so, mushrooms can still cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Because mushrooms are fungi—and there are so many varieties—it’s hard to determine which are safe and which aren’t. Generally speaking, wild mushrooms are more likely to be toxic. Muscarine is one of the deadliest mushroom toxins, capable of causing severe liver damage. The so-called “toadstools” are also among the poisonous varieties.

8. Cashews
Toxin: Urushiol
Toxic part: Raw cashews
Although not a nut but a seed, the cashew has a shell-like structure and grows on a fruit. When you buy “raw cashews” in stores, make sure they are steamed and not truly raw. This is because raw cashews contain urushiol—the same toxic chemical found in poison ivy—which can trigger the same reaction as contact with poison ivy or poison oak. Ingesting large amounts of urushiol can be fatal. While cases of cashew poisoning are rare, workers involved in shelling them may sometimes suffer side effects due to close contact.

9. Cassava (Yuca)
Toxin: Cyanide
Toxic part: Cassava
Though not common in the U.S., the shrubby cassava plant is widely grown in the Caribbean and South America. When used as a food ingredient, cassava can be prepared to taste either sweet or bitter. Its flavor and aroma depend on the amount of cyanogenic compounds it contains—substances that are highly toxic. Most people who eat cassava prefer the bitter variety, as its taste helps repel insects and even animals. If not properly prepared before eating, cassava can be lethal. Due to its high cyanide content, cassava toxicity may lead to neuropathic disorders and even permanent paralysis.

10. Pufferfish
Toxin: Tetrodotoxin
Toxic part: Certain organs
The pufferfish is the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world. Though you won’t find it on menus in the U.S., many Koreans and Japanese consider certain parts of the fish to be a delicacy. However, organs such as the liver are extremely toxic and potentially deadly. The toxin found in this fish is called tetrodotoxin, which can cause symptoms like high blood pressure and muscle paralysis, and may lead to death due to respiratory failure caused by paralysis of the diaphragm muscle. Many Asians still find it hard to resist this dangerous delicacy.

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