“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” – 19th Century Proverb
Apples aren’t only nutritious on their own – packed with fibre, vitamin C, and antioxidants – but also create the tastiest pies, crumbles, cakes, and chutneys. However, they do come with a slight warning: their seeds can be toxic. Begging the question, “Do apples have to be cored and de-pitted before consuming them?”.
Are apple seeds safe to eat?
The short answer is no. But this depends on a few factors. Apple seeds contain low amounts of a compound called amygdalin. When seeds are chewed or crushed and ingested, amygdalin reacts with stomach enzymes to produce a toxic compound called cyanide.
Cyanide is poisonous. It works by interfering with oxygen supply to cells, with symptoms showing in a few minutes to a few hours. Mild symptoms include dilated pupils, headaches, dizziness and confusion. More serious, and possibly fatal, symptoms include reduced consciousness, low blood pressure, seizures, coma and death.
While serious, the amount of apple seeds a person has to chew/crush and ingest is significant. A few seeds here or there are unlikely to cause any symptoms. A study found that a person would have to consume around 85 to 500 crushed seeds to develop acute cyanide poisoning – that’s around 20 to 100 apples. Furthermore, the exact amount of cyanide that proves fatal depends on a person’s body weight and tolerance.
Another study found that certain apple varieties and the condition of the seeds are also factors. It found that amygdalin content was highest in Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Royal Gala varieties. With Braeburn and Ergemont Russet apples containing the lowest amounts.
It’s safe to say that avoiding apple seeds is the best course of action. But if you miss a couple here or there, it’s unlikely for any serious symptoms to develop.
