Tomatoes Were Once Feared As Poisonous

For centuries, Europeans avoided eating tomatoes, fearing they were toxic. Aristocrats even died after eating them, not because the fruit was deadly, but because they used plates made of lead.

Because tomatoes are highly acidic, the fruit would leach lead from the expensive pewter plates used by the wealthy. This chemical reaction led to severe lead poisoning, causing people to believe the tomato itself was the killer. It took until the 1800s for the tomato to shed its dangerous reputation and become a culinary staple. Today, it is difficult to imagine global cuisine without this once-dreaded ingredient.