A UK study has ranked the most dangerous vegetables by how many injuries they cause in the kitchen. The study found that 88 percent of people injure themselves in the kitchen, and that 39 percent of those cases were because of a difficult-to-cut vegetable.
Sheila Merrill of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents noted:
“Good preparation is crucial when it comes to preventing kitchen accidents such as severe cuts, so make sure your knives are sharp and in a good condition, use a vegetable peeler where appropriate and do not rush chopping. Keep knives out of the reach of children and, if you’re involving young children in food preparation, supervise them at all times and help them to develop good skills in the kitchen.”
Spoiler alert: they're all fall vegetables. We suggest you use the summer to sharpen your knife skills so you'll be safe come autumn.
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5. Jerusalem Artichoke
Also called sunchokes, these taste like a potato/artichoke hybrid and are best peeled with a vegetable peeler.
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<em>Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bochalla/4433319267/" target="_hplink">bochalla</a></em>
4. Turnip
Turnips, also easily peeled with a vegetable peeler can be tricky to slice and dice because they are round. Taking a sliver-thin slice off one side will help it lay flat, to keep your fingers out of the way.
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<em>Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/post406/820403214/" target="_hplink">post406</a></em>
3. Butternut Squash
Butternut squash's thick skin and odd shape can throw even the most seasoned cooks for a loop. We like to separate them into two pieces: the round bulb and the cylindrical part toward the stem for easier handling.
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<em>Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/levork/3763970917/" target="_hplink">levork</a></em>
2. Rutabaga
The rutabaga, also called a "swede" or "yellow turnip," is actually a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. You can deal with these the same way you deal with their turnip cousins.
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<em>Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnath/2936168647/" target="_hplink">Johnath</a></em>
1. Pumpkin
And our number one, most dangerous vegetable is the pumpkin. Pumpkins are great for so many things other than Jack-O-Lanterns and pumpkin pie. Their tough skin and hearty flesh bend knives the world over. That's why we like to eat them whole best, like in this delicious <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roast-Pumpkin-with-Cheese-Fondue-350655" target="_hplink">pumpkin fondue recipe</a>.
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<em>Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rbowen/1564474152/" target="_hplink">RichardBowen</a></em>
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Posted: 06/15/12 02:13 PM ET | Updated: 08/31/12 10:48 AM ET