Seeds and pits of THESE fruits are NOT SAFE to eat

Time of India

24-04-2025

Fruits are one of the most wholesome foods you could add to your diet. Not only do they offer numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, improving digestion, and providing essential vitamins and minerals, but they are also a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, all of which contribute to overall well-being. In fact, several fruit seeds are beneficial for health, offering various nutritional advantages. These include pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. These seeds are rich in essential nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants, which can support heart health, digestion, and overall well-being.
However, not all fruit seeds are good for health.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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In fact, some of them might have quite harmful effects on our health.
Seeds and pits that are harmful:
The seeds and pits of certain fruits are not safe to eat due to the presence of cyanogenic compounds, like amygdalin, which can release hydrogen cyanide when ingested. Specifically, seeds from apples and pits from cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, and pears are examples of fruits with potentially dangerous seeds or pits.
Here's a more detailed look:
Apple seeds:
While apples can be a healthy snack or ingredient, it is not advisable to eat the seeds, as they contain small amounts of a chemical that produces cyanide, which is highly toxic. Eating one or two apple seeds by accident, or drinking juice that contains a few pulverized seeds, is unlikely to cause problems. However, eating a large quantity of pulverized apple seeds could be dangerous.
As per
studies
, apple seeds contain low amounts of a compound known as amygdalin. If a person crushes or chews the seeds, this releases the amygdalin inside. In the stomach, the
amygdalin
then reacts with enzymes to produce a toxin known as hydrogen cyanide. Cyanide is well-known to be very poisonous. However, it is important to note that for there to be any harmful effects, a person would have to eat a significant amount of crushed apple seeds, which is unlikely to occur.
Stone fruit pits (Apricots, Cherries, Peaches, Plums):
These fruits have pits containing kernels with amygdalin, which also converts to cyanide. The European Food Safety Authority estimates that adults should not eat more than three small apricot seeds in one sitting.
Cherries have a small, hardened pit that surrounds their seed, also called a kernel. The kernels of cherry pits and other stone fruits contain the chemical amygdalin, which is a cyanogenic glycoside — a chemical that your body converts into the toxic compound
hydrogen cyanide
. Hydrogen cyanide interferes with oxygen transport,
potentially damaging
essential organs like your brain, heart, and lungs.
Lychee Seeds:
Lychee is a tree fruit with a floral flavor that is native to Southeast Asia. It's a member of the soapberry family and contains antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols that attach to free radicals and lower inflammation. It is also a good source of fiber, which supports digestive health. Although lychee fruit is safe to eat, it's important to make sure the berries are ripe before consuming them.
However, Lychee seeds contain hypoglycin-A, the chemical that restricts the body's ability to maintain a normal blood sugar range, leading to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). In rare cases, particularly when consumed in large quantities, hypoglycin-A can lead to severe hypoglycemia, which includes symptoms such as vomiting, seizures, and even coma.
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