Certain innocent-sounding foods can seriously mess with your system, as you may find out here…

Potatoes: If you’ve eaten fries more than once, you know that not all potatoes are poisonous. But when raw potatoes get too much light, a toxic chemical called solanine can develop —and that can cause diarrhoea and vomiting for one to six days. The telltale sign of solanine is a greenish tint just under the potato’s skin. Affected potatoes might also grow little sprouts. Once you hack off the growths and use a peeler to remove the green layers, the pothealthis totally safe to eat. But if you’re concerned, just throw it out. And always store your spuds in a dark, cool place.

Fruit seeds and pits: Chances are, you’ve heard that certain seeds and pits are dangerous. And it’s true: Apples, pears, mangos, peaches, apricots, nectarines and cherries all contain seeds and pits with amygdalin, a toxic chemical that can turn into another poisonous substance called hydrogen cyanide. These can cause all sorts of problems such as headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting and an elevated heart rate and blood pressure.

The good news: Unless you intentionally chew or break open the seeds, it’s highly unlikely to be poisoned by them. They usually pass through your system. So, don’t even think about cutting these foods from your diet — and don’t worry if you accidentally swallow a seed or two.

Wild mushrooms: While grocery store mushrooms are totally safe to eat, it’s almost impossible to identify harmful mushrooms in the wild. That’s because there’s thousands of different kinds — and many of these can upset your stomach, lead to diarrhoea and vomiting, and damage your liver and kidneys. The really scary part? Symptoms won’t appear until days later. And despite what you may have heard, cooking poisonous mushrooms doesn’t make them any safer. Your best bet is to avoid eating wild mushrooms altogether.

Cassava root, yucca: While you might not consider cassava root a kitchen staple, the starchy root vegetables are the most consumed carbohydrates in the world. The thing is, the sap inside the yucca leaves and roots contains toxic cyanide, which can upset your stomach, cause neurological problems, difficulty breathing, seizures and heart problems. To make sweet cassava root edible, you have to peel and cook it. Bitter cassava root is a bit trickier to prepare: You peel, chop, soak, and boil it. To be safe, buy prepared yucca when possible.