You may have come across bean sprouts when enjoying a steaming hot bowl of pho, and these small veggies are usually white, skinny, and long (soybeans) or thicker and flatter (mung bean). When eaten raw as a garnish, sprouts add a refreshing and crisp crunch, but there is a danger to eating raw soybean or mung bean sprouts.

Any kind of raw food can be a hotbed for bacterial growth, and while bean sprouts aren't particularly dangerous, they can pose a risk for food poisoning when consumed uncooked. Those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, and young babies are better off eating these sprouts cooked in order to be safe.