In the late 1700s, a large percentage of Europeans feared the tomato. A nickname for the fruit was the “poison apple” because it was thought that aristocrats got sick and died after eating them, but the truth of the matter was that wealthy Europeans used pewter plates, which were high in lead content. 18 июн. 2013 г.
Why were tomatoes first thought to be poisonous?
Eighteenth century European aristocracy ate off of handsome pewter plates — which happen to be high in lead (via Smithsonian). When tomatoes were served on the plates, the fruits' acidity caused toxic lead to leach from the plates, poisoning some of those who ate from them.
How long did people think tomatoes poisonous?
You may have heard that tomatoes were considered poisonous by all but a few Americans until the mid-1800s.
Why were people scared of tomatoes after they were discovered?
Native Americans even thinking of the tomato seed as being an aphrodisiac. When Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Americas, they saw native people eating tomatoes, but were unsettled by the bright red color, which reminded them of a poisonous nightshade plant.
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