There are rumors on the Internet that water spinach is the "most poisonous green leafy vegetable", because its stem is hollow, which can "suck in" heavy metals and some harmful substances in the surrounding environment like a straw, and even water spinach has the title of "king of all poisons". Is this statement true?
Planted in a regular safe place
Water spinach is safe
In fact, although water spinach is stronger than ordinary vegetables in terms of enriching heavy metals, water spinach itself does not additionally enrich many heavy metals.
The content of heavy metals in vegetables generally depends on 3 factors: air, soil and water quality. Water spinach grown in a regular safe place is safe to eat.
Water spinach is most needed
Pay attention to the oxalic acid problem
When eating water spinach, the most important thing to pay attention to is the problem of oxalic acid.
Water spinach, like spinach, is higher in oxalic acid, which can affect calcium absorption and also increase the risk of stones.
Therefore, you can blanch water spinach before frying it, so that most of the oxalic acid can be removed.
Which vegetables are really poisonous?
1. Ichitri vegetables
In nature, some wild vegetables are poisonous, such as bracken, which itself contains the carcinogenic substance "protofernin".
There are also some wild vegetables that look like the vegetables we usually eat, which are easy to be eaten by mistake, such as wild celery, koji cabbage, wild ground, lycoris, broken intestine grass, etc., which can cause food poisoning after ingestion.
Therefore, do not eat unknown wild plants or wild plants that grow in polluted environments.
2. Some wild mushrooms
Every year, there are cases of poisoning due to the consumption of wild mushrooms. Don't take chances and think that only flower mushrooms are poisonous.
In fact, judging by appearance alone, it is difficult to completely judge whether mushrooms are poisonous or not, and many poisonous mushrooms do not necessarily grow "flowers".
For mushrooms whose varieties cannot be identified, be sure not to eat them. Once ingested, it can cause gastrointestinal, skin and mental abnormalities, and can lead to death.
3. Black fungus that has been soaked for a long time
Do not eat black fungus or white fungus that has been soaked overnight or for too long.
If black fungus and white fungus are infected with Pseudomonas coconut, they may produce the toxin rice fermented acid after long-term soaking, and the heat resistance of rice fermented acid is extremely strong, and ordinary cooking methods can not destroy its toxicity, and it can be poisoned after eating, and it can lead to death.
4. Fresh daylily
Fresh daylily contains toxic alkaloids, which can irritate the mucous membrane and respiratory system of the gastrointestinal tract, and are prone to gastrointestinal discomfort, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and other discomforts after eating. Therefore, fresh daylily should not be eaten directly.
The dried daylily sold in the market is fully soaked in water during processing, which has removed most of the toxic substances, and is relatively safer.
5. Sprouted potatoes
After the potato sprouts, a large amount of solanine will be produced, which will stimulate the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and paralyze the respiratory center after eating, which is harmful to the human body. For sprouted potatoes, try to discard them without eating.
6. Unripe green beans
Raw green beans contain harmful ingredients such as saponins, phytohemagglutinins, and trypsin inhibitors. People who eat undercooked green beans can experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and other discomforts.
Thoroughly cook the green beans can effectively remove the toxins, generally simmer on high heat for more than 10 minutes, preferably 15~20 minutes, when the color of the green beans changes from bright green to dark green or dark green, and there is no beany smell, it can be eaten.
In addition, oil beans, lentils, sword beans, cowpeas, etc., should all be fully heated before consumption.
7. Bitter reeds
Cucurbitaceae vegetables and fruits such as gourds, loofahs, cucumbers, and gourds will produce cucurbitacin under special conditions.
Cucurbitacin is a bitter toxic substance, even after heat treatment, this toxin is difficult to destroy, after eating may cause food poisoning, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, etc., severe abdominal pain, shock, and even death.
Therefore, if this type of food tastes bitter, do not eat it.
2024
China Women's Daily, China Women's Movement
Source/Beijing Youth Daily Pictures/Photo Editor-in-Charge/Cai Lengyue, Tianyuan Huang Die's Review/Yifan Producer/Zhifei