9 Foods That Can Destroy Your Body

When we choose healthy food in the supermarket, we hope to buy something useful for ourselves and our family. But research shows that even the most ordinary foods can be dangerous.

We at Bright Side have made a list of foods that can harm your body and found ways to avoid the issues and enjoy all the tasty foods you like.

1. Lettuce

The scientists from the Center for Science in the Public Interest have analyzed statistics for the past 12 years. They were trying to figure out which foods led to the highest number of cases of food poisoning. Lettuce turned out to be number one. It was responsible for 363 outbreaks with 13,568 known cases of poisoning. So even if lettuce is well-packed and “ready to eat,” it’s better to wash it really well before you put it on your plate.

2. Eggs

The salmonella infection that can get on eggs from the excrement of an infected chicken can be dangerous, especially for children, the elderly, and people who have a weak immune system. If you see that the shell is not perfectly clean, it’s better to spend one minute washing the egg before making scrambled eggs and feeding the entire family.

3. Chicken

One drop of juice from raw chicken meat has enough Campylobacter bacteria to infect a person. This bacteria causes fever and gastrointestinal issues. The bacteria spreads really fast when we wash the meat because it ends up on our hands, apron, counters, etc. To be safe, you should minimize your contact with raw chicken and wash the cutting board and knives far from the rest of your dishes (we even suggest washing them in boiling water).

4. Tuna

When fish is defrosted and stored in the wrong way, a toxic protein called scombrotoxin is formed. It can cause a type of food poisoning that leads to a skin rash, vomiting, stomach aches, diarrhea, a high heart rate, and even loss of vision.
The solution: you should defrost tuna without letting it contact the air. Take it from the freezer and put it on the lowest shelf in the fridge without opening the pack. A fish that weighs 4 pounds will take about 24 hours to defrost.

5. Cheese

There are no toxic chemicals in cheeses but at any stage of the production pathogenic microorganisms that cause poisoning can get into cheeses. There’s a risk of catching brucellosis and listeriosis if the unpasteurized milk of sick animals is used during the production. That’s why you should only buy cheese from manufacturers you know and trust.

6. Sausages and meat products

According to research, 12% of sausages and other meat products are infected with E. coli and pathogenic microorganisms (listeriosis and salmonella). Listeriosis is especially dangerous for old people, pregnant women, newborns, and children before the age of one. It can cause nervous system damage and even meningitis.

7. Ground meat

Experts have found the remains of antimicrobial drugs, E. coli, salmonella, and listeria in ground meat. That’s why it’s better to make thin flat pieces of meat and fry them.

8. Seafood cocktail

Studies show that this kind of food contains a lot more yeast than is allowed which means that there are violations of sanitary standards during production. You should only eat frozen seafood glazed with ice.

9. Soda

Aside from obesity and liver damage, another reason why you should quit drinking soda is the effect it has on your bones. Soda contains both phosphoric acid and caffeine which lead to the decrease of bone mineral density (BMD) and eventually to osteoporosis.