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Doctors recommend foods like berries, nuts, fish packed with omega-3 fatty acids and even dark chocolate for neurological health. They also discourage foods high in sugar and saturated fat, which can increase the risk of stroke and dementia.
But there are lesser-known foods that can also create a real headache, according to neurologists.
“While food-borne illness is often associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, some pathogens and toxins directly affect the nervous system, sometimes with severe or long-term consequences,” said Dr. Mary Ann Picone, a neurologist at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey.
Because the illnesses are less common and symptoms can be slow to appear, even doctors can underestimate or miss the neurological component, Picone told Fox News Digital.
Experts say international travel and home food preparation can increase your risk of contracting them.
Here are three common foods that neurologists caution could put you at risk of toxins and bugs.
1. Canned foods that appear damaged
Improperly canned, preserved or fermented foods can provide the right conditions for botulinum toxin to form, according to the CDC. (iStock)
“If a can is bulging, cracked or severely dented, that’s a red flag for botulinum contamination,” Dr. Baibing Chen, a Michigan neurologist and epileptologist, said in recent videos posted on TikTok and Instagram, where he is known as Dr. Bing.
Botulinum toxin is odorless and tasteless, and heating the contaminated food may not fully neutralize it, Chen warned. “When in doubt, throw it out,” he said.
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The potent neurotoxin can cause botulism, a rare but serious illness that attacks the nerves, leading to muscle paralysis, breathing difficulty, and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Home-canned, low-acid foods including green beans, asparagus, corn, meats, garlic and fermented fish are the most risky, Picone said.
To prevent botulism, the CDC recommends refrigerating or freezing leftovers promptly after cooking, throwing away damaged or bulging cans, and following the USDA’s guide to home-canning.
2. Reef fish
Large reef fish like barracudas can contain ciguatoxins that cause ciguatera fish poisoning in humans. (iStock)
“I like eating fish, but I try to avoid eating large tropical reef fish like barracuda, grouper and Amberjack because of a neurotoxin called ciguatoxin,” Chen said.
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Ciguatoxin is a neurotoxin produced by certain algae in coral reefs as a defense mechanism. It can travel up the food chain from herbivorous fish to carnivorous fish and eventually humans.
The neurological symptoms of ciguatoxin poisoning can include feelings of tingling and numbness, reverse temperature sensations where hot objects feel cold and cold objects feel hot, and vivid nightmares, Chen said.
Approximately 50,000 cases of ciguatera poisoning are reported worldwide annually, according to the CDC, but the numbers may be higher because it is often misdiagnosed.
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One neurologist avoids eating large tropical fish because they can cause ciguatera poisoning. (iStock)
The toxin is heat-stable, he added, so cooking the fish won’t destroy it. “This doesn’t mean you can’t eat fish,” he said. “Just avoid or limit consumption of large predatory fish, avoid eating certain parts, like the liver or roe, and be aware of endemic areas.”
Ciguatera is common in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean Sea, according to the CDC.
3. Under-cooked pork
Chen said he does not eat under-cooked pork, especially from unregulated sources, because of the risk of neurocysticercosis.
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Neurocysticercosis occurs after a person swallows pork tapeworm eggs, according to the CDC. The larvae migrate to tissues like the brain and form cysts, which are diagnosed when found in the central nervous system.
“A little-known fact is that it’s actually one of the leading causes of acquired epilepsy worldwide,” Chen said of the infection. “And it’s not just in developing countries, but can also be seen in developed countries in areas with poor sanitation.”
Neurocysticercosis is a parasitic infection caused by larval cysts of the pork tapeworm. (Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)
There are about 1,000 new hospitalizations for neurocysticercosis in the U.S. each year, according to the CDC, and cases are most frequently reported in New York, California, Texas, Oregon and Illinois.
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It can be prevented by handwashing, cleaning and peeling fruits and vegetables, and only drinking bottled water or drinks or water boiled for at least one minute in countries where the supply may be unsafe.
