10 Side Effects of Eating Mold

Mold is a fungus that grows in damp and humid environments. If you consume mold, the side effects can be anything from nausea to death. While you might not always suffer from these issues after you have accidently consumed mold, it is still recommended to be very careful when you are eating.  In this article we’ll talk about what happens when your body eats mold and what you should do if you think you’ve eaten some accidentally! Get to know more about mold and human health.

Major Side Effects of Consuming Mold

People usually consume mold by accident when they don’t realize that their food was moldy. However consuming mold comes with some consequences. So let’s check out some of the major side effects of consuming mold.

1. It Can Cause Diarrhea

Mold can cause you to have diarrhea, which is one of the most common side effects. This happens because your body goes into a defensive mode when it realizes that there’s something foreign in it and begins its immune response.  

The same thing happens if you eat anything poisonous or harmful to your health: The natural reaction is for your body to try and get rid of whatever has caused this discomfort by vomiting or having diarrhea. Even though mold isn’t necessarily toxic, it won’t be beneficial either if eaten on purpose! 

2. It Can Cause Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting are also very common symptoms associated with eating mold accidentally. For some people who suffer from food allergies these might not be so much of a big deal, but if you only experience this side effect it can cause some serious discomfort.

Your body is trying to get rid of whatever foreign substance that has caused problems for its system! 

3. It Can Cause Infection and Fever

When you eat mold, it can cause an infection in your body. If something enters your mouth and doesn’t agree with your system, the immune system starts to react violently. The most common symptom of that reaction is fever.

Fever means that there’s some kind of infection going on somewhere in your body and while this might not be a big deal if you’ve just eaten seafood or cheese, eating mold will make things much worse! 

4. Consuming Mold Can Cause Abdominal Pain

One of the most commonly known symptoms of eating mold is abdominal pain. This happens when the fungus starts to disturb your intestines and can cause a lot of discomfort and problems. If you experience this kind of pain after having eaten something with mold, it’s best to go and see a doctor as soon as possible!

You might not always understand what is causing your abdominal pain however a doctor may be able to diagnose it which can help you be more careful in the future.

5. You May Develop Asthma Symptoms

If you’re someone who consumes moldy food on a regular basis, you might start to develop asthma symptoms. This is because the spores of mold can get into your lungs and cause all sorts of problems. If you’ve been having trouble breathing or have been coughing more than usual, it might be worth getting checked out by a doctor to see if there’s any connection between your asthma and eating mold!

6. It Can Cause Food Poisoning

One of the worst things that you can experience after eating mold is food poisoning. This happens when there’s a toxin in whatever it was that you ate, and your body starts to react violently. Food poisoning will make your stomach hurt as well as other problems like diarrhea or vomiting. If this ever happens to you, see a doctor immediately!

7. It Can Damage Your Liver

If you eat mold on a regular basis, it can damage your liver. This is because the fungus will start to accumulate in your liver and over time it will cause some serious problems affecting your liver health.

If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, make sure to go and see a doctor as soon as possible: Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine, light-colored stools, itchiness, pain in the upper right abdomen, loss of appetite and fatigue.

8. It Can Cause Dental Issues

If you eat mold, it can cause dental problems. This happens because the fungus will start to grow in your mouth and eventually damage your teeth. It can cause bacteria to start building up in your teeth so it is very important to take proper care of your teeth especially if you have accidently consumed moldy food. If this is happening to you regularly, see a dentist as soon as possible!

9. It Can Cause Different Medical Conditions 

If you’re someone who is allergic to mold, consuming it may cause different medical conditions. This happens because the body’s immune system starts to attack whatever it is that has caused the allergy.

The most common symptoms are a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, headaches and asthma attacks. If you experience any of these symptoms after eating something with mold in it, see a doctor as soon as possible!

10. Believe It Or Not Consuming Mold Can Be Fatal

Believe it or not, consuming mold can be fatal. This happens when the fungus starts to affect different organs in your body and they eventually stop functioning properly.

The most common organs that are affected are the liver, lungs and brain. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, go to a doctor as soon as possible: Confusion, drowsiness, seizures, changes in vision, coma and even death.

What to Do If You Have Consumed Mold?

So, now that you know all the different side effects of eating mold, what do you do if it happens to you? The symptoms may start appearing just a little time after you have consumed the moldy food. If you have already found out that the food you ate was moldy then it is better to head on to visit your doctor.

You shouldn’t wait for the symptoms to start showing up. The most important thing is to see a doctor as soon as possible. They will be able to help diagnose the problem and give you the proper treatment.

What Steps Can You Take To Prevent Yourself and Your Family from Consuming Moldy Food ?

There are certain steps that you can take to prevent yourself and your family from consuming moldy food. These include;

Always Buy Fresh Food

The best way to avoid eating food with mold in it is by always buying fresh food. This means that you should only buy the items that have a short expiration date or are sold in sealed containers. If you’re not sure if an item has been spoiled, don’t take the risk and throw it out!

Check the Expiration Date

Another way to avoid eating food with mold in it is by checking the expiration date. Just because something doesn’t look moldy, doesn’t mean that it’s safe to eat. Many times, molds can start growing on the food without changing its appearance. So make sure to always check the expiration date before purchasing or consuming any type of food!

Avoid Consuming Leftovers

If you’re someone who is always leftovers, be sure to check the food before you consume it. Even if something doesn’t look moldy and has a long expiration date – don’t take the risk! It’s better to throw out your old food than suffer from any of these side effects or get sick in general.

Always Check the Food Before You Eat It

Another way to avoid eating moldy food, is by checking it before you eat it. Check the item for any signs of spoilage and make sure that it’s from a trusted source. Even when you are just having home cooked meal it is also important to just check the food in your plate before you eat it. This means that if there’s something wrong with your food or mold has started to grow on your food– don’t take the risk!

Throw Out Any Moldy Food in Your Kitchen or Fridge

If you have moldy food in your kitchen or fridge, it’s best to throw them out. You can either do this by taking the item outside and leaving it exposed to sunlight for a few hours (this will kill most types of molds) or simply throwing away any items that are close to expiring date. It may be very tempting to eat something before its expiration date but don’t take the risk!

Clean Your Kitchen and Fridge Regularly

The last thing that you should always do is clean your kitchen and fridge regularly. This means that if there are already some expired foods stored inside – get rid of them as soon as possible along with all other spoiled items!

Make sure that no moisture gets into contact with these ingredients because that is where most molds grow. If you are planning on storing some food for a longer period of time, it’s best to freeze them so that mold doesn’t have the chance to start growing inside your fridge!

Put Foods like Bread in Cold Places

Bread is one of the most commonly eaten food item. Not just that, it is also used as an ingredient in other dishes as well. It is unfortunately also a type of food that is very susceptible to mold. And many people consume mold through bread.

This means that you should never store it in your kitchen or near any other ingredients because the heat will speed up the process of mold growth. Instead, put all bread products in cold places like the fridge or freezer!

Be Careful With Canned Food

Medical experts often talk about the harmful effects of processed food but what you might not have realized is that canned food can be moldy as well. Mold can start growing inside the can without you even realizing. You might think it’s an air tight can so you are safe, however a simple opening can be responsible for the growth of mold inside the can.

Canned food is another item that you have to be careful with. Many times, canned food can contain moldy ingredients and since the cans aren’t see-through – it’s hard to tell which items are safe to eat. So always make sure to check the expiration date before purchasing any canned goods!

Don’t Leave the Food Out On the Counter for Long Period Of Times

Always remember that you should never leave the food out on your counter for a long period of time. This means that if you’re planning on having some snacks during the day – make sure to put them back into your fridge after use!

It’s best to keep everything inside and only consume what is necessary at any given moment. As mentioned before, mold grows very fast in warm environments so it’s important not to let molds have an opportunity to grow within your kitchen or fridge!

Final Words

Consuming moldy food is more common than you would think. Most of the times people do it without even realizing it. So if you were wondering what happens when someone eats mold then now you know all about it.

It may be hard to believe but almost everyone has eaten something with mold in it at least once in their lives and lived without knowing about any side effects.

This means that even though many people say “I’ve never eat anything molded before”, this isn’t true because they probably didn’t realize there was mold inside the item they consumed or just thought nothing bad will happen since other types of bacteria can also cause sicknesses and diarrhea.

So what happens when you eat mold? Well, in most cases your body can handle the side effects! But sometimes people can get really sick from eating foods that are covered in molds or bacteria so be sure to avoid consuming any rotten items. Always remember: its better safe than sorry.