For 200 Years People Thought Tomatoes Were Poisonous: The Strange History of How We Started Eating Them

Today, tomatoes are one of the most common foods in the world. They are found in salads, soups, sauces, sandwiches, and countless other dishes. Yet for more than 200 years, many people in Europe and North America were afraid to eat them.

The tomato's unusual history began when it arrived in Europe from the Americas. The fruit was already being eaten in Mesoamerica before Europeans arrived. The Aztecs called it tomatl. Spanish explorers are thought to have brought tomato seeds back to Europe in the early 16th century.

At first, Europeans mostly treated tomatoes as strange and attractive plants rather than everyday food.

The Connection With Poisonous Plants

One reason for the tomato's bad reputation was its place in the nightshade family, or Solanaceae. This family includes several poisonous plants, including deadly nightshade.

In 1544, Italian herbalist Pietro Andrea Mattioli became one of the first Europeans to write about the tomato. He classified it alongside plants such as the mandrake and eggplant. The tomato was also associated with ideas about love and temptation.

There was also some genuine reason for caution. The leaves and stems of tomato plants contain toxic compounds, although the ripe fruit itself is safe to eat. People who did not understand this difference could easily become suspicious of the entire plant.

The tomato's appearance may have added to the confusion. Some early tomatoes were small and grew in a way that reminded herbalists of berries from poisonous plants such as deadly nightshade.

The Book That Made Things Worse

The tomato's reputation became even worse in Britain after the publication of John Gerard's Herbal in 1597.

Gerard described the whole plant as unpleasant and suggested that its fruit was unsuitable for eating. His description was based partly on earlier botanical writings, some of which contained inaccurate information. Even though the fruit was not poisonous, Gerard's negative view became influential.

His opinion remained powerful in Britain and the British North American colonies for more than 200 years.

Other writers repeated similar warnings. A 17th-century English translation of a farming guide claimed that eating the fruit could cause sickness and vomiting. Such statements helped turn suspicion into a long-lasting belief.

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The Myth of the Poison Apple

By the 18th century, many Europeans were still frightened of tomatoes. The fruit even became linked with the name poison apple.

One popular story claimed that wealthy Europeans became ill or died after eating tomatoes. The explanation was supposedly connected to pewter plates, which could contain lead. Because tomatoes are acidic, the story suggested that they could draw lead from the plates and cause poisoning.

However, this explanation is now considered unlikely. The amount of lead that could have been released in this way would have been too small to cause such serious diseases.

The real explanation for the tomato's reputation was probably much simpler: people were unfamiliar with it, it looked similar to poisonous plants, and respected herbalists had already warned against eating it.

Tomatoes Slowly Finding Its Way Into Kitchens

Despite the fear, tomatoes did not remain completely rejected.

• By the early 18th century, tomatoes were known in the British North American colonies.
• Farmers began growing them, although many people still did not know how to prepare them. During the 1820s, tomato recipes started appearing in newspapers and local publications.
• As people grew and cooked tomatoes more often, their fears slowly began to disappear.

Experience proved more convincing than old warnings.

Farmers also began experimenting with different varieties. Agricultural societies helped increase interest in the plant, while cooks discovered new ways to use it.

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Tomato's Story From Suspicion to Staple Food

The tomato eventually became a major part of European and American cooking. In Italy, its popularity grew steadily, and by the late 19th century it was closely associated with dishes such as pizza.

In the United States, the development of canned tomato products helped make the fruit even more popular. In 1897, Joseph A. Campbell found that tomatoes could be successfully preserved and helped popularise condensed tomato soup.

The change was remarkable. A plant once described as unpleasant and potentially poisonous had become a familiar ingredient in homes.

What Does the History of Tomato Teaches Us

The strange history of the tomato shows how easily a mistaken idea can survive when it is repeated by people who are considered trustworthy. A few uncertain observations, combined with fear of poisonous plants, helped create a reputation that lasted for centuries.

People did not suddenly discover that tomatoes were safe. Instead, generations of farmers and cooks gradually gained confidence through experience.

Final Word

Today, the tomato is eaten across the world in countless forms and varieties. Its journey from a feared poison apple to an everyday ingredient is a reminder that our ideas about food are not always based on facts. Sometimes, they are shaped by tradition, misunderstanding, and simple fear.