RantCrush Top 5: May 12, 2017

Avocados are really popular worldwide right now, and a shortage of the fruit has led to soaring prices. But avocados could actually hurt more than your wallet. An increasingly common injury called “avocado hand” has caused the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeons to call for safety labels to be put on the fruit as a precaution. Apparently, a lot of people can’t handle avocados properly and cut themselves when slicing them open. This can cause serious nerve and tendon injuries that require surgery–many patients don’t even recover their full use of their hand or fingers.

OK. I admit it, I once stabbed myself in the hand while improperly removing a pit from an avocado. Blood everywhere. Required stitches. https://t.co/mYH7KZSNH7

— Tamara Keith (@tamarakeithNPR) May 3, 2017

There is no data on how many avocado injuries have occurred in the U.S., as our hospitals currently don’t “track kitchen injuries by ingredient,” notes The New York Times. The Times of London called it a global phenomenon, and in the U.S. there was a case of a woman who received a $20,000 hospital bill due to an avocado injury. This could probably have been avoided with some common sense, but either way, maybe a safety label on the fruit is a good idea.

Iceland launches pre-sliced frozen avocado halves to combat fearful ‘avocado hand’ https://t.co/m1oFXLemzb pic.twitter.com/ll30C194Cv

— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) May 12, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.