Doctor J. Frink > wrote:

> On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 09:35:53 +0000, sarah > wrote:
> >
> >Speaking (as it were) of parsnips, does anyone else find that one or two
> >of them seem to leave the mouth/tongue/lips slightly numb? I know it's
> >in the same family as some rather nasty plants; I just wondered if some
> >roots contain a higher concentration of something. Or perhaps it's my
> >first food allergy!
>
> I can't say I've experienced any numbness but parsnips do contain toxins
> (as lots of veg does), which can cause skin irritation when exposed to
> sunlight and possibly upset stomach.
>
> They tend to be in the damaged areas so if you peel the parsnip well and
> thoroughly cut out any bruises (if you don't already) it might help.

I certainly peel them, but haven't paid close attention to cutting out
all the damaged bits. I know about the skin irritation bit; they (and
many other members of the family) contain a chemical that blocks the
skin's ability to protect itself from the sun. Depending on the
sensitivity of your skin you may not see any reaction from quite
prolonged contact on solidly overcast days, but sunlight leads to a
remarkable burn -- I tested some wild parsnip on my (inner) arm and it
raised blisters 12 hours later. I pity the youngsters who used to use
the stems as peashooters!

regards
sarah

--
Think of it as evolution in action.