Is the Jerusalem Cherry That Alicia Silverstone Tried Edible?

This week in “classes that the web taught us,” Alicia Silverstone gave us all a wholesome reminder by way of a viral TikTok video that consuming unidentified crops rising within the wilderness (or in somebody’s entrance yard) in all probability isn’t the brightest concept. The 47-year-old actress, finest identified for her function as Cher within the 1995 hit Clueless, took to her social media channels on Tuesday, August twentieth, to ask her thousands and thousands of followers to assist classify a mysterious fruit, saying “I’ve found one thing that I can’t work out what it’s and I would like your assist.” She then proceeds to point out the digicam a spherical, orange fruit — in regards to the dimension of a cherry tomato — that’s been bitten in half and has seeds on the within.

Though she does audibly word “I don’t assume you’re speculated to eat this,” Silverstone is seen taking a chunk of the thriller fruit, which she picked from a bush rising close to the sidewalk as she walked the streets of London. 

Commenters had been fast to chime in, saying that the plant is “toxic” or “poisonous” and asking the actress if she was okay. Fortunately Silverstone posted to Instagram yesterday, confirming that she is certainly “alive and properly.” However this caption nonetheless doesn’t establish what the fruit was, prompting some  questions: What precisely did Alicia Silverstone eat? And is it as harmful as a lot of her followers implied?

What’s a Jerusalem cherry?

The mysterious fruit that despatched the web right into a tailspin is a Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum) — also referred to as a Madeira winter cherry — that’s a member of the nightshade household. For those who additionally thought that the Jerusalem cherry seems just like a tomato, there’s a purpose for that. This fruit and tomatoes share the identical genus, and Jerusalem cherries supposedly do style like a cherry tomato, though you shouldn’t strive them to confirm this. 

The nightshade grows on an evergreen shrub with darkish inexperienced and shiny leaves. The plant’s white, star-shaped flowers have orange facilities that finally flip into fruit; whereas the Jerusalem cherry Silverstone plucked was a vivid tangerine hue, their coloration can vary from a lightweight yellow-green to scarlet pink. 

The place do Jerusalem cherries develop?

Alicia Silverstone could have picked a Jerusalem cherry whereas strolling via London, however the plant is definitely native to South America. After being launched to different continents, it could be thought-about a weed in a number of nations with hotter climates, together with South Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand. The Jerusalem cherry can be generally grown as a houseplant, due to its stunning flowers and fruit — however pet homeowners ought to use warning, as a result of it may be significantly poisonous for canines to devour, and probably harmful for cats too.

Are Jerusalem cherries edible?

The brief reply is no, Jerusalem cherries are poisonous and shouldn’t be eaten. Nevertheless, as foraging knowledgeable Alexis Nikole identified in her personal TikTok, describing the plant as “very toxic” or lethal isn’t completely correct. Consuming this fruit will primarily trigger gastrointestinal points like vomiting, abdomen ache, or diarrhea, and it’s not often lethal for people. That being mentioned, consuming a considerable amount of it might produce extra extreme signs, which in line with Medline Plus — a well being data useful resource from the U.S. Nationwide Library of Drugs — could prolong to fever, shock, gradual respiration, delirium, and extra. 

All components of the Jerusalem cherry plant are toxic, so if for some purpose you are feeling compelled to strive consuming a leaf — don’t. However don’t let this data provide the impression that each one nightshades are dangerous to people. Whereas just a few members of this plant household are famously poisonous, like belladonna or “poisonous nightshade,” it additionally encompasses many beloved edible fruit and veggies, together with tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes.

Even when consuming one Jerusalem cherry doubtless gained’t trigger you any extreme bodily hurt, it’s nonetheless not a good suggestion — who needs to threat gastrointestinal points, not to mention one thing extra severe? And if any of us wanted a refresher on why to not eat issues from unknown crops that don’t belong to us, thanks to Alicia Silverstone for the useful reminder.