16. Raw Meat
Raw meat carries the risk of contamination, and can cause toxoplasmosis, a serious disease which can lead to symptoms like muscle pain, headache, sore throat and enlarged lymph nodes. The symptoms of toxoplasmosis may be even more severe if you already have problems with your immune system as it can also cause blurred vision, confusion, nausea and balance problems.
It’s even worse if raw meat has been left out in the air, as it will start to decay and attract bacteria but if you eat raw meat you may get a stomach upset even if it’s not contaminated, particularly if you are not used to eating it. Researchers from Tufts University and the Cummings Veterinary Medical School found that the risk of contamination and bacteria that raw meat carried was so high they couldn’t even recommend its consumption to animals!
Of course, not all raw meat is contaminated and even if you do eat contaminated raw meat, you won’t necessarily get sick, but as humans aren’t really designed to eat raw meat anyway, why take an unnecessary risk? It’s best to avoid any potential for contamination from toxoplasmosis – and one of the best ways to do this is to ensure your meat is cooked all the way through. Regardless of how well-cooked your meat is though, it’s also important to never leave it unrefrigerated for extended periods of time, so you don’t wind up eating bacteria that can cause unpleasant stomach upsets or diarrhoea.
