You can get sick from eating healthy foods if you don’t cook them properly.
Some parasites that can get into the body and create a lot of health problems are amoebas, dysentery organisms, roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. These problems can range from moderate digestive troubles to serious infections and organ damage.
Two things you can do to lower the dangers are clean up and cook food all the way through.
Be careful with these eight foods that are common:
1.Eels
Eels like to live in calm waters, which are great places for parasites to flourish. There is a good chance that golden eels will get sick. As many as half of them may have harmful germs during mating season. More than 15 different parasites can live in these eels, such as roundworm and tapeworm larvae.
When roundworm larvae get inside the body, they might go to the eyes and damage vision. Tapeworms, on the other hand, can quickly travel to important organs and even the brain.
To be safe, wash and boil for at least 4 to 5 minutes before eating.
2. Snails
Snails are a preferred food and are usually found in marshes and ponds, where they may have parasites. One snail can hold up to 3,000 Angiostrongylus cantonensis roundworms, which is a big concern.
If you consume these larvae, they could travel into your brain and give you headaches, fever, stiff necks, and in really bad cases, meningitis or memory loss.
Always soak, wash, and boil snails carefully to keep safe.
3.Buffalo and raw or not fully cooked meat
Buffalo and cattle are wonderful providers of protein and other nutrients, however they can also carry beef tapeworm larvae (Cysticercus) in their muscles, heart, and diaphragm. These larvae turn into worms that cling to the inside of the intestines and can grow to be 4 to 10 meters long.
Damage to the intestines, starvation, weight loss, anemia, and stomach pain that lasts a long period are all health problems.
Parasites will die if you cook meat all the way through.
4.Frogs and snakes in the wild
If you eat these animals uncooked or undercooked, you could also get tapeworm larvae from them. The blood can carry these larvae to the brain.
To be safe, cook the beef for at least two minutes at 100°C (212°F).
5.Fish that hasn’t been cooked
Liver flukes are common in fish that isn’t fully cooked or is raw. These can cause major problems such liver abscesses, gallbladder infections, and bile duct obstructions.
Tip: Always cook fish all the way through to kill any parasites.
6.Shrimp and crab that are still alive
Lung flukes can be found in several kinds of seafood. After the parasites get into the body, they go to the lungs. People with this disease may have coughs that last a long time, respiratory infections, and even cough up blood.
To be safe, don’t eat raw foods that have been fermented or steeped in vinegar. Be sure to cook all the way through.
7.Water chestnuts
A lot of people consume water chestnuts raw. They can transfer germs and parasites and grow in moist places.
Be careful when peeling or cooking hot foods like soups and stir-fries.
8.Caltrops in Water
These plants like to grow in muddy rice fields because they obtain a lot of nutrients there, but they also get dirty easily.
Tip for safety: Before using in recipes, boil for at least 15 seconds.
Last Reminder
These foods are good for you and taste delicious, but if you don’t cook them appropriately, parasites might make you sick. Always:
Make sure to wash the ingredients well.
Cooking on high heat
Don’t eat shellfish or meat that isn’t fully cooked or is still raw.
Keep the kitchen clean and safe.
Putting food safety first is the best way to keep yourself and your loved ones safe from fatal diseases.
