The allure of getting a viral YouTube hit is extremely strong, but you can definitely pay the price.
Young YouTube vlogger Pikachu The Pokemon ate a Carolina Reaper (the hottest pepper on the planet, according to the Guinness Book of World Records), but his apparent extreme distress at the end of the video may have made the pain worth it for him — as of this writing, his video “Hottest Pepper Eaten” had garnered well over one million views, and that number is likely to continue climbing.
Your kids may see it as a route to viral stardom, which is all the more reason parents should make a point to tell their kids that doing this stuff is pretty dumb and can result in not only pain, but actual injury and even death. Here are a few more food-ish things that you should warn your kids about, whether they’re planning to do it on camera or not.
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Cinnamon challenge
The cinnamon challenge is pretty amusing to watch, we’ll admit, but it’s also extremely dangerous. Record yourself eating a teaspoon of cinnamon without taking a drink of water. While it sounds pretty benign, you can actually inhale cinnamon into your lungs and become extremely ill, so it should be crossed off your kids’ to-do list ASAP. In fact, just a short time ago, a 4-year-old tried to gobble down some cinnamon (not as a challenge, but just because he thought it was yummy) and he died.
Roulette Doritos
One out of every six chips in a bag of Roulette Doritos is extremely spicy — around 10 times hotter than a jalapeño pepper. And the risky thing is the chips all look the same. However, there may be a danger lurking inside each bag, and it may get you when you’re not expecting it. Recently, a U.K. school has banned these Doritos from its campus after a student got one of the spicy ones and it triggered an asthma attack. The school sent home the following warning:
DANGEROUS DORITOS: Parents and carers, please be aware that the new Doritos Roulette crisps are not recommended for children. The crisps contain extra hot chips and it has come to our attention that they can cause severe distress, particularly to those with sensitivities, allergies or breathing problems.
Chubby Bunny
It sounds cute, doesn’t it? Chubby Bunny. But it’s not really that funny — considering that people have died while playing it. Chubby Bunny is a contest where the winner is whoever can shove the most marshmallows into their mouth while still being able to say “Chubby Bunny.” Unfortunately, stuffing that many marshmallows into one’s mouth may result in at least one getting lodged in the windpipe. These sorts of contests should never take place, and kids shouldn’t try to play it on their own.
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Milk challenge
This is another well-known challenge where participants try to down a gallon of milk in an hour’s time. It’s usually not possible, and most challengers barf it all up — to the bemusement of onlookers and YouTube video watchers. In addition to vomiting, those who try are often beset with severe cramps and are at risk of aspirating the rejected milk. Just don’t do it.
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