Ever wanted to try some forbidden snacks that the rest of the world would not dare to put in their mouth? If you are an adventurous eater who wants to explore all flavors and textures that the world of food has to offer, the word “forbidden” might not deter you from eating something that looks delicious. However, just because something looks appetizing, it does not mean it is edible.

Here, we present to you 18 such forbidden snacks that will trick you into thinking they are delicious.

1 Forbidden Chicken

Oh, what a nice and crispy piece of fried chicken! Is it, though?

While it looks like something that would come with your KFC order, this deceptively delicious object is actually calcite. Calcite or CaCO3 is a carbonate mineral, and it is among the most common minerals on Earth. Found throughout the world in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, calcite is also the basis of limestone and marble.

Though it tends to be white or colorless, there are colorful variants of calcite that come in shades of orange, brown, yellow, green, red, and gray. Because of its unique properties, calcite is widely used as a construction aggregate and construction material and for agricultural soil treatment, pharmaceutical, pigment, and more. (1, 2)

2 Forbidden Grape

If you think this is a big, juicy grape, you are wrong!

It is a species of algae called Valonia ventricosa. Also known as sailor’s eyeballs or bubble algae, it is one of the largest unicellular organisms on the planet! It might be hard to fathom how something that is large enough to fit into your hand can be made up of a single cell, but that is what it is – a single-celled organism.

Found in subtropical and tropical oceans around the world, bubble algae grow up to 9 cm in diameter and it comes in various shades of green. However, when underwater, it appears to be black, teal, or silver. The surface of the algae is so smooth and free of texture that it shines like glass when clean. (1, 2)

3 Forbidden Ham

All the meat lovers must be drooling over this right now. If only ham grew on trees!

Ascocoryne sarcoides is a species of fungus that is also known as the purple jellydisc or jelly drops. Found across Asia, Europe, and North America, this funky-looking fungus usually has a gelatinous mass and a purple or pinkish-colored disc shape. It also grows in clusters on the branches and trunks of various dead wood. (1,2)

4 Forbidden Fried Egg

Did someone leave a sunny-side-up in the middle of a body of water? No, this is not your favorite breakfast item!

It is a type of large jellyfish called phacellophora camtschatica, which is also known as egg-yolk jellyfish or fried egg jellyfish because of its uncanny resemblance to a fried egg. As a cool water species, this jellyfish is most commonly found in the Northern Pacific Ocean, and it can be easily identified by its yellow coloration.

The jellyfish tends to grow quite large, and the bell can be two feet in diameter. The body of the jellyfish does not have any circulatory, respiratory, or excretory systems, which is why these functions are performed through the large surface area. (1, 2)

5 Forbidden Banana

Here’s a banana that moves and swims!

This weird-looking creature is a species of marine fish called gymnothorax miliaris. It goes by many names such as goldentail moray, conger moray, yellow canary moray eel, and bastard eel. As a medium-sized fish, the goldentail moray reaches a maximum length of 70 cm.

Its snake-like body is usually colored yellow with black spots that make it look like a ripe banana. However, the eel can also be light or dark brown with yellow spots all over its body.

Found throughout the western Atlantic Ocean, this eel lives on coral reef slopes as deep as 60 meters underwater. It is a solitary carnivorous fish that feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, and small invertebrates. (1, 2)

6 Forbidden Caramel-Honey Glazed Bread

This one will make you crave for some glazed bread rolls.

Velvet shank, also known as enoki, is a type of mushroom that plays a crucial role in Japanese cuisine. The mushroom grows naturally on the stumps of various trees such as the Chinese hackberry, mulberry, ash, and persimmon.

There are wild and cultivated varieties of this mushroom, and they look quite different from each other. Cultivated varieties tend to be white, whereas the wild ones bear a dark brown color. The mushroom is also known for its sticky and shiny caps and white spores.

The wild velvet shank mushroom is often confused with another fungus called the deadly skullcap, and as the name suggests, that one can kill you! Ingesting this mushroom can cause severe liver damage along with hypothermia, diarrhea, vomiting, and eventual death. (1, 2)