Alicia Silverstone says she is ‘alive and well’ after she sparked concern among fans after eating a potentially poisonous berry she picked in the garden of her London home.
The 47-year-old actress posted an update on her TikTok account on Tuesday, reassuring her 4.3 million followers on the platform that she was fine, after an earlier post raised concerns about her well-being.
The San Francisco resident wrote, “Alive and well! Don’t worry… I didn’t swallow,” adding winking face and tongue emojis to the text update.
Silverstone, who has starred in films including Clueless, Batman & Robin and The Crush, caused a stir on Monday after posting a clip online of herself biting into a small orange berry, a bite that can cause fever and severe abdominal pain.
Silverstone, who rose to fame through her roles in Aerosmith videos such as Cryin’, Amazing and Crazy, asked her followers “what the hell that was”, to which she was told the berry appeared to be a “poisonous” Jerusalem cherry.
Alicia Silverstone, 47, says she is ‘alive and well’ after raising concerns among fans after eating a potentially poisonous berry she picked from the garden of her London home
The Batman & Robin actress posted an update to her TikTok account on Tuesday, reassuring her 4.3 million followers that she was okay, after an earlier post caused concern
Medical experts say it is not safe to eat the Jerusalem cherry. Symptoms include fever, sweating, vomiting, stomach pain, headache and increased heart rate.
In her first clip on Monday, Silverstone said: “I found something and I can’t figure out what it is. I need your help. I just bit into it because I was on the street and we were talking about whether this was a tomato or not.
‘It’s definitely not a tomato, judging by the leaves. What is this then?’
After holding the orange berry up to the camera, Silverstone admitted she didn’t think the berry was edible.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to eat this, but it looks a bit like a pepper,” Silverstone said. “Does anyone know what this is? I need someone to tell me, I’m in England.”
Some fans pointed to Silverstone’s signature role as Cher Horowitz in Amy Heckerling’s 1995 hit Clueless.
One user wrote, “The captain of the Pismo Beach Disaster Relief has the SAFE label!”, while another quoted her character in the film and said, “IF IF!!!!”
Another fan said, “Forever my ignorant goddess,” referring to the film, which also starred Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, Breckin Meyer and the late Brittany Murphy.
Silverstone filmed herself picking a small orange berry and biting into it, asking fans ‘what the heck was that?’
Silverstone received mixed reactions after she said she was doing well
Other fans expressed relief that she no longer had any health issues as a result of eating the berry. One fan said, “I’m glad you’re okay, Alicia,” while another said, “What a relief.”
Some referred to the widespread news of the post on social media, with one saying, “The media went crazy about your berry flavor!” while another said, “CNN reported on your street snack.”
After Silverstone’s initial post, fans quickly responded by saying the berry was dangerous to eat.
One social media user commented: ‘OMG NO!! Jerusalem cherry is very poisonous in the nightshade family. I hope you are doing well.’
Another said: ‘Girl! Berries are either amazing or damn poisonous! Don’t eat random bush things,’ while another fan said: ‘She clearly has no idea…’
Others warned that the berries can cause itching and are absolutely not safe to eat.
Solanum pseudocapsicum, also known as Christmas cherry or Jerusalem cherry, is a small, bushy, evergreen shrub with dark, glossy leaves and red or orange berries.
The plant belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and is ‘harmful if eaten’. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, you should wear gloves when handling the plant.
Unknowingly eating a potentially dangerous plant, Silverstone filmed herself picking the berry from a London garden with her bare hands and biting into it (left). The plant (pictured flattened on the ground on the right) is part of the Solanaceae family and is ‘harmful if eaten’ and should be handled with gloves, according to The Royal Horticultural Society
NHS GP Dr Hana Patel warned that eating the plant could be fatal. Deaths have been reported in the past in connection with eating it.
She said: ‘If a plant or fruit is eaten, early symptoms may include fever, sweating, vomiting, stomach pain, headache and increased heart rate. Symptoms are delayed for several hours and may last for days.’
She added that it can also cause allergic skin reactions.
Dr Duane Mellor, dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, said: ‘Although the ripe Jerusalem cherry contains less of the toxic component than the unripe fruit and leaves, it is still poisonous.
‘It should therefore not be eaten, as it can often cause gastrointestinal complaints such as pain, nausea and diarrhea, but also delirium, fever and changes in vision.’
Mellor added: ‘It’s important that people only eat fruit that they know or are confident is safe to eat.’