10 Horrifyingly Deadly Sweets And Treats

Health

1.Forbidden Fruits

lychee

Famous Bible characters Adam and Eve were the first to suffer from a forbidden fruit. However, they were not the only ones to suffer from poorly-chosen fruits. In 2014, Dr. Rajesh Yadav moved to Muzaffarpur, India, to investigate a deadly outbreak plaguing the country. Beginning in 1995 during the monsoon season, Indian children began suffering unexplainable seizures that nearly always led to comas.

In 40 percent of these cases, the children died. The outbreak was chaotic and unpredictable, rising suddenly and disappearing just as fast. One of the few details that stood out was the fact that the outbreaks usually occurred in mid-to-late May. Although all other investigators were at a loss,

Dr. Yadav and the India Epidemic Intelligence Service were determined to settle the mystery once and for all. With the help of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, India’s National Center for Disease Control began systematically going through possible culprits of this deadly illness, that only seemed to target children. Pesticides, rats, and even heat stroke were early theories. It was not until 2013 that the biggest clue surfaced. “Jamaican vomiting sickness,” a toxic outbreak in the West Indies showed shockingly similar symptoms.

This illness was a result of fruit toxins. Indian investigators quickly began connecting the dots. The lychee orchards in rural India were the culprit. Mischievous children loved to steal the sweet dessert-like fruits for after-school snacks. Researchers found that the lychee fruit contains a toxin called “hypoglycin.

” The children that ate unripe lychees on an empty stomach experienced a catastrophic drop in blood sugar, resulting in the seizures and comas. With time and warnings, the death toll began to fall as more and more parents saw the danger in letting their children indulge in these deadly fruits.

What seemed like a good dessert and snack, was literally the biggest danger for these Indian children. Although a handful of candy or a warm pastry are not usually considered weapons of choice, history has shown us that some of the greatest dangers come packaged in the sweetest of disguises. Even fruit—nature’s dessert—may prove lethal in the wrong hands or circumstances. Before we indulge in our favorite dessert, we should keep in mind that it may very well be our last.