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Of: Sophie stigfur, TT
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Photo: Helena Landstedt / TT
The crushed flax seeds are now good to eat, if heated in liquid. Stock Photography.
The growing vegetarian trend still cannot be stopped.
But an increasingly popular feature of the vegetable counter can be life-threatening.
That’s the opinion of the National Food Administration, which has now updated its recommendations on what we should taste.
About 2,500 plants, including bitter almonds, can form the toxic substance hydrogen cyanide when chewed, crushed, or ground.
If ingested in too high doses, they can cause cramps, vomiting and nausea.
– If you ingest too much hydrogen cyanide, shortness of breath can be life-threatening, says Richard Bjerselius, a toxicologist with the National Food Administration.
The authority has now updated its guidelines on what and how much we should eat of different raw materials. With the new advice, the National Food Administration wants to prevent people from getting poisoned when more and more people choose not to consume animal products.
– We see that there is a risk that the consumption of this type of food increases with the tendency to eat more and more plant-based. Then you need to be aware of the risks of naturally toxin-containing plants, says Bjerselius.
An increasingly common feature in Swedish stores is cassava root, common in tropical countries. But the National Food Administration puts a completely red warning triangle on the product and completely advises against consuming it in raw form.
– In Sweden, we do not have the tradition of eating cassava. It is mainly in other parts of the world where cassava is used for cooking, and in those countries the risks are known. It is possible to eat cassava after cooking, but it is important to be careful and follow the instructions. Cassava can contain high levels of cyanogenic glycosides, says Bjerselius.
From red to green for popular seeds
However, Swedes no longer need to bandage themselves to the same extent as before when it comes to consuming flax seeds.
Unlike before, crushed and ground flax seeds are now approved among adults, if cooked.
– Some of the hydrogen cyanide evaporates if you prepare them in liquid and heat them. The same applies to other foods with cyanogenic glycosides, says Richard Bjerselius, a toxicologist with the National Food Administration.
Whole flax seeds are given the go-ahead as before. However, adults should not eat more than two tablespoons a day, and children should only consume them with other products such as bread or porridge.
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