Are Some Chillies Poisonous?
Matthew Richardson
Apologies if this isn't the right group for this question, but I thought
this would be a good place to start. I have recently heard a rumour that
some varieties of Ornamental Chillies can cause long-term liver damage,
and should not be eaten. I purchased a chilli plant from a nursery about
a year ago, which was labelled just Capsicum, with no species info. Can
anyone tell me whether this rumour is true, whether it applies only to
very specific types of chillies or many different ones and whether there
is any easy way for me to tell if my chilli is safe. I have tried
searching on the internet with no success.
Thanks in advance,
Matt
---------------------
xh...@nospam.tardis.ed.ac.uk
Curtis Brothers
Matthew Richardson wrote:
Have not heard anything about this. You may want to contact folks at the New
Mexico State University with this question. They have a Chili Pepper
Institute. Paul W Bosland and Dave DeWitt published an extremely informative
book called "The Pepper Garden" based in part on trials conducted at the
University. They ought to be able to answer you questions.
--
Pat Brothers
The Powell House
Wake Forest, NC
USDA Zone 7b
Trevor Hyde
> > Apologies if this isn't the right group for this question, but I thought
> > this would be a good place to start. I have recently heard a rumour that
> > some varieties of Ornamental Chillies can cause long-term liver damage,
> > and should not be eaten.
I can't remember where I read it, but I believe that it might have been
the Chili Pepper book, or something like it: they stated that all
varieties of peppers are edible. Genetically there is very little
difference between peppers, the differences you see between varieties
are individual differences, not species differences (well, they classify
peppers into a couple different species, but they are closely related
and capable of cross-breeding; sort of like dogs, wolves and dingos).
Most ornamental varieties that I have seen are variants of hot Andean
varieties (sold under names like Bolivian Rainbow, Chinese Black, etc.)
that are used for cooking in their native areas. Typically the flavor
is course, with lots of heat, so they aren't usually grown for cooking
where other peppers are available.
Trevor
Nick Maclaren
Unfortunately, the Solanaceae is not a family that one wants to
experiment with! It is notorious for including plants that are
lethally poisonous in some of their parts, but not others; and in
some (but not all) conditions; and with two closely-related species
(or even strains of the same species) varying immensely in their
toxicity.
It isn't unique in that, of course, but it is one of the extreme
families in those respects.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QG, England.
Email: nm...@cam.ac.uk
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679
No User
> Apologies if this isn't the right group for this question, but I
> thought this would be a good place to start. I have recently heard
> a rumour that some varieties of Ornamental Chillies can cause
> long-term liver damage, and should not be eaten.
I do know that according to an NPR news story I heard a couple of
years ago, hot chilis are carcinogenic.
A Yale study done in Mexico City found that consumers of salsa and
other hot chili dishes had over twice the incidence of stomach
cancer.
Since then, I stopped eating hot chilis.
Don't have any cites, other than the news was on National Public
Radio. Clever use of a search engine might turn up something.
raindear
consume. they're in the capsicum family but they're decorative. the plants
are usually sold around thanksgiving to xmas time covered with little chili
peppers; but the label is very expressive: NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION!
(i've always wondered if there are other species who can consume it?)
--
"Use what talents you possess*The woods would be very silent if no birds
sang except those that sang best."...Henry Van Dyke
http://www.northeastgardenreview.com
Trevor Hyde
> actually, yes! there is a chili which the label advises consumers to not
> consume. they're in the capsicum family but they're decorative. the plants
> are usually sold around thanksgiving to xmas time covered with little chili
> peppers; but the label is very expressive: NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION!
> (i've always wondered if there are other species who can consume it?)
In the US that sort of label doesn't necessarily mean a thing. It is
likely just protection in case of lawsuit. Remember, McDonald's was
successfully sued for millions because someone was not adequately
informed (according to the jury decision) that coffee is hot. The
label might also mean that the plant was not handled in compliance
with food-grade standards (sprayed with toxic pesticides, etc.). Don't
assume that the toxins come from the pepper.
Trevor
Alf Christophersen
<Trevo...@marquette.edu> wrote:
>In the US that sort of label doesn't necessarily mean a thing. It is
>likely just protection in case of lawsuit. Remember, McDonald's was
>successfully sued for millions because someone was not adequately
>informed (according to the jury decision) that coffee is hot. The
>label might also mean that the plant was not handled in compliance
>with food-grade standards (sprayed with toxic pesticides, etc.). Don't
>assume that the toxins come from the pepper.
But there is a plant resembling very much a capsicum that is not a
capsicum and that is quite toxic. We call it "Bush of Wisdom"
(Kunnskapens tre). It is a toxic nightshade, but the fruits are often
turning violet.
Many has thought it should be a pepper, but tasting them just give
youy a bland taste and afterwards quite bad intoxication. It is
dangerous for children, but I doubt it would be lethal for others.
Matthew Richardson
>
> But there is a plant resembling very much a capsicum that is not a
> capsicum and that is quite toxic. We call it "Bush of Wisdom"
> (Kunnskapens tre). It is a toxic nightshade, but the fruits are often
> turning violet.
Many thanks to all who have helped with my question. I have now decided
that my plant is definitely safe to eat, and I will go on doing so!
However, I am now intrigued as to what this 'other plant' is. I have had
a look on some search engines but so far come up with nothing. Does
anyone know the latin name for this plant, or the address of a website
where I can have a look at some pictures?
Thanks once again,
Matt
---------------------
xh...@nospam.tardis.ed.ac.uk
Pam Cole
LOL! I did the same thing, Matt. The only thing I figured out was that a
closer interpretation of "Kunnskapens tre" might be the biblical term "Tree of
Knowledge." Now I wish I had followed through with my language studies at the
Sons of Norway. Couldn't understand a thing in the Norwegian newsgroups.
I would also like the latin name and location of pics if anyone has them
(Alf?).
Thanks,
Pam
(newsgroup newbie)
Alf Christophersen
<xh...@tardis.ed.ac.uk> wrote:
>Many thanks to all who have helped with my question. I have now decided
>that my plant is definitely safe to eat, and I will go on doing so!
>However, I am now intrigued as to what this 'other plant' is. I have had
>a look on some search engines but so far come up with nothing. Does
>anyone know the latin name for this plant, or the address of a website
>where I can have a look at some pictures?
Sorry I didn't have time yesterday to look it up. It is Solanum
pseudocapsicum. I see in my book it has more rounded berries than
Capsicum.. The plant originates at Madeira, so it is maybe more usual
over here as a plant in homes than in US. When many think they have
bought a Capsicum, in reality they have bought a very toxic plant, S.
pseudocapsicum. Fortunately, most people don't dare to taste the
fruits because they know most C. frutescens berries are very aggresive
at taste, but they are not toxic. That keep most people from being
killed by the S. pseudocapsicum berries.
Pat Kiewicz
The common name(s) in English are Jerusalem Cherry, Winter Cherry,
or Christmas cherry.
It used to be much more common to see it for sale with the poinsettias,
but seems to have fallen out of favor. (Several very colorful and ornamental
chilis have come on the market in the past few years; much safer to use them
as a pot-plant.)
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Solanps.htm
--
Pat in Plymouth MI
"The generation of random numbers is too important to be left to chance."
Robert R. Coveyou
"Il faut cultiver notre jardin." Voltaire
Alf Christophersen
Kiewicz) wrote:
>but seems to have fallen out of favor. (Several very colorful and ornamental
>chilis have come on the market in the past few years; much safer to use them
>as a pot-plant.)
For my part I hope the poisonous plant wil ldisappear completely. I
myself got intoxicated by it as a child. It was not a pleasent thing.
Throwin up a lot and several other effects I do not remind so mucch
about today. If I'm correct I was numb in my fingers for a long time,
but it might have been another poisonous plant :-) (Our garden was
full of them and I soon learned to touch only those plant I was told
to be safe and edible. I think the reminds of my undulat bird lying
dead at the floor after eating Lily of the valley did a lot. I was 7
year old at that time and I cried for days afterwards)
Tara Deen
If it is a chilli, and this will be quite evident from the shape of the
flowers, leaves pods etc., then it is edible. There is no inedible
chilli, just ones that may be too hot for you.
I have never read any study that indicated that capsaicin (the active
chemical producing the 'hot' in chillies) is a carcinogen. Quite the
contrary: many studies have shown definite health benefits to eating
chillies, including their being one of the newest cures for stomach
ulcers.
Tara
--
______________________________________________________
Tara Deen
School of Earth Sciences
Division of Geology and Geophysics
Building FO5
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Phone: 61-2-9351 4271
Fax: 61-2-9351 0184
email: ta...@es.usyd.edu.au
______________________________________________________
Nick Maclaren
In article <391A0F61...@es.usyd.edu.au>, Tara Deen <ta...@es.usyd.edu.au> writes:
|> Quite definitively:
|>
|> If it is a chilli, and this will be quite evident from the shape of the
|> flowers, leaves pods etc., then it is edible. There is no inedible
|> chilli, just ones that may be too hot for you.
That is extremely dangerous advice. The Solanaceae is a very
large and diverse family, and most species are very poisonous in
some or all of their parts. Several of the other species look
superficially like chilli peppers.
Be careful. Be very, very careful.
Michael Romagnoli
wrote:
>Matthew Richardson wrote:
>
>> Apologies if this isn't the right group for this question, but I
>> thought this would be a good place to start. I have recently heard
>> a rumour that some varieties of Ornamental Chillies can cause
>> long-term liver damage, and should not be eaten.
>
>I do know that according to an NPR news story I heard a couple of
>years ago, hot chilis are carcinogenic.
>
>A Yale study done in Mexico City found that consumers of salsa and
>other hot chili dishes had over twice the incidence of stomach
>cancer.
>
>Since then, I stopped eating hot chilis.
>
>Don't have any cites, other than the news was on National Public
>Radio. Clever use of a search engine might turn up something.
I don't even begin to believe this.
You are saying that Yale did a study on the possibility of a
carcinogen in food in one of the most polluted cities on the planet -
and that their scientists thought this was good research??!!
Clever use and extensive searching on several search engines has
turned up nothing.
Search NPRs archives has turned up nothing. In fact, the only thing
in NPRs archives that has to do with carcinogens is this from Feb
1996:
"NPR's Joe Palca reports that a new study conducted by the National
Academy of Sciences found that the risk of cancer from both natural
and unnatural carcinogens in food is neglible. While some foods
contain chemicals that can cause cancer in animals, the levels are so
low they pose no real danger, the report says. That is especially true
when compared to the risk for cancer from other things, such as eating
too much fat, the report says. "
To top that off, I encourage anyone who wants to see how healthy chile
peppers are to check out this excellent site:
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~gcaselton/chile/chile.html
I haven't searched over in Yale's web site to see if they catalog such
studies, but I'll take a look soon.
PRI doesn't have a nice neat search for it's programs, 'cause they are
usually locally produced. I'll check out Sounds Like Science and
Science Friday, though.
PRI has shows on NPR - typically on the weekends.
-Mike
fan...@excite.com
Bill Hewitt
cervical cancer. And let's not forget saccharin and sodium cyclamate.
Personally, I don't believe the college boys or the government know doo doo
from wild honey.
--
Bill Hewitt, MCP
Hewitt Business Services
Supporting RealWorld since 1986
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