naure.com
FoodSurprise 4/5Difficulty 2/5Reviewed on July 10, 2025

Tomatoes were considered poisonous in Europe.

Why it is true

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Europeans believed tomatoes were poisonous because they belong to the nightshade family, which includes toxic plants. It wasn't until the 18th century that tomatoes became popular in European cuisine.

Source: Food History

Would you rather be asked first?

This is the reading side of the site, so the answer is in the sentence above — that is the whole point of it. Test yourself works the other way round: the question comes on its own, and the fact and the explanation only appear once you have answered.

Test yourself →10-question challenge

Related facts

More in Food

See all →