Not every berry is benign. Some will cause mild illness, while others can elicit severe reactions. Even berries that look tempting may be toxic, so it pays to know your stuff.
Luckily, I’m here to help you learn. Read on to discover 10 poisonous berries to avoid at all costs, so you can forage confidently and enjoy the fruits of your labor safely.
Eating just a few can cause unpleasant symptoms like stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. If you eat a lot or are particularly susceptible, you might experience dangerously low blood pressure, seizures, fainting, or even death.
The leaves and berries contain oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth, lips, nose, and throat. They may produce more drastic symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal issues.
They contain solanocapsine, a toxin that can cause severe gastrointestinal distress and affect the central nervous system. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, with more severe cases leading to hallucinations, shock, paralysis, hypothermia, and death.
Yew seeds contain taxine compounds, which can potentially be fatal. You won’t just get a tummy ache from eating them. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, coma, seizures, rapid vital decline, and even death in some cases.
They look pretty tasty if you’re lost in the cold, but eating them will result in nausea and vomiting. You could also experience a more serious reaction, including blurred vision, severe bradycardia, hallucinations, and even miscarriage.
They contain saponin, a poison that can cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping. In rare cases, people have reported drowsiness, hyperthermia, and severe skin reactions.