When it comes to parasites, many people imagine frightening organisms that not only drain nutrients but also cause a range of dangerous diseases. In reality, parasites have threatened human survival for thousands of years, and even today, around 2 billion people worldwide are infected annually, with hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Although countries with good sanitation conditions — including Vietnam — have managed to control many parasitic diseases, the risk of infection in daily life still exists. In particular, some common vegetables are actually “hotspots for parasites”, and consuming them raw or undercooked can pose serious health risks.

Experts have identified 5 types of vegetables that are easily contaminated with parasites:

• Water chestnut: Grows in swamps and paddy fields, making it prone to worms and bacteria. Eating it raw can cause illness, especially in people with weak digestion.
  
  

• Water celery: Thrives in damp areas and can carry liver flukes. Eating it raw may transmit diseases from livestock to humans.

• Arrowhead: Though highly nutritious, it provides an ideal environment for parasites to attach and enter the body through food.
  
  

• Water caltrop: Sweet and nutty, often eaten raw like fruit. However, it can easily harbor worms, leading to stomach pain, diarrhea, and anemia.

• Lotus root: Grows in muddy ponds and may carry schistosome eggs, worms, and various parasites. Eating it raw allows them to cling to the intestines, causing ulcers, diarrhea, and digestive disorders.

Prevention tips:

• Wash vegetables thoroughly under running water, soak them in diluted saltwater or clean water several times, and always cook them before eating.

• Vegetables with grooves or fine hairs should be scrubbed carefully, and root vegetables should be peeled before cooking.

• For those who enjoy raw vegetables or salads, choose only the freshest, cleanest produce and soak it thoroughly.

The safest way remains: cook your food and boil your water to avoid unknowingly “inviting parasites” into your body through careless eating habits.