It is possible that Snow White was the first influencer who made it fashionable to eat apples, even their seeds! We all know someone who does not waste the skin or the core of this fruit, but have you ever wondered if we can get benefits from the seeds?
Eating an apple provides numerous benefits, such as a good dose of fiber, but the center is capable of providing us with 10 times more healthy bacteria. Apples have five seed pockets, with a variable number of seeds in each pocket. Some believe that apple seeds are poisonous, while others consider them healthy.
Most people avoid the seeds, which have a bitter taste, but we can eat one or a few by accident and not worry about spitting them out. But can they be chewed or added to juices?
Risks
Apples contain many healthy compounds, including antioxidants, vitamins, and dietary fiber. Apple seeds, however, contain a plant compound called amygdalin, which can have a toxic effect. Amygdalin is a part of the chemical defenses of the seeds. It is harmless when a seed is intact, but when a seed is chewed or damaged, the amygdalin breaks down into hydrogen cyanide. This is very poisonous and even lethal in high doses.
People have used cyanide as a poison throughout history. It works by interfering with cells' oxygen supply, and high doses can cause death within minutes.
cyanide poisoning
Cyanide is a chemical known as one of the deadliest poisons. It has been used in chemical warfare and mass suicide. Many cyanide-containing compounds, called cyanoglycosides, are found in nature, especially in fruit seeds. The amygdala is one of them.
Apple seeds and many other seeds or fruit seeds have a strong outer shell that is resistant to digestive juices. But if we chew the seeds, the amygdala could be released into the body and produce cyanide. Small amounts can be detoxified by enzymes in your body. However, large amounts can be dangerous.
Eating or drinking cyanogenic plant compounds can cause cyanide poisoning in humans. These compounds exist in apricot kernels, almonds, cassava, and apple seeds. Mild symptoms of poisoning are anxiety, headaches, dizziness, and confusion. Acute poisoning can cause decreased consciousness, high blood pressure, paralysis, and coma. In some cases, it is fatal.
The exact amount needed to make someone sick depends on body weight, so young children are at higher risk. For the toxic compounds in apple seeds to be lethal, the amount of seeds will depend on a person's body weight, their tolerance, and the type of apple.
Most apple cores contain around 5 apple seeds. However, this amount will vary depending on the health of the plant. We would need to chew and eat around 200 apple seeds, or about 40 apple cores, to receive a fatal dose.
Juices and oils with seeds
Apple juice and smoothies often contain crushed whole apples, including the core and seeds. Since apple seeds are crushed during processing, they might release some cyanide, which remains in the juice. However, the researchers looked at how much amygdalin was in commercial brands of apple juice and found very low amounts. So it is unlikely that the amounts of amygdalin in commercially available apple juice would cause any harm.
Still, it is recommended to avoid eating apple seeds and remove them before juicing apples, due to the amygdalin content.
As for apple seed oil, this is a by-product of juice processing. It is made from raw apple pomace. The amount of amygdalin found in apple seed oil is generally very small.
People use it for its fragrance, to condition hair, and to soothe skin inflammation. Some studies suggest that it is also a good source of antioxidants and shows some potential as an anticancer agent. Another study found that apple seed oil is active against bacteria and yeast.
Can apple seeds be eaten?
Research claims that most of the healthy bacteria in apples are found in the seeds. A whole apple (core included) contains about 100 million bacteria, while if we take only its meat it gives us 10 million. In other words, we are wasting 10 times the content of this fruit.
Normally, humans run away from bacteria, but this type of seed contains healthy bacteria, which are essential for gut microbes, according to the study. However, it is not recommended to eat the seeds of apples as if they were pipes. Despite having a large number of healthy bacteria, there are some risks that we should consider before eating them.
There are some seeds or fruit pits that contain a substance called amygdalin (vitamin B-17), which the body converts to cyanide, according to Agency for the Registry of Diseases and Toxic Substances (ATSDR). Although apple seeds contain amygdalin, it's not possible that the amount in one apple does any real harm. According to experts, a lethal oral dose of cyanide is between 1 and 2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight; in the case of apples, it would take a lot of seeds to get to that amount.
This study encourages eating whole apples, but if we don't want to, that's okay. Despite the fact that the seeds contain protein, fiber and oils, there is no conclusive evidence that encourages us to eat their entire kernel. And while the study found that the core contains more healthy bacteria than the rest of the apple, researchers still aren't sure if the number of bacteria is more beneficial to our intestines than the variety of their types.
best organic apples
Logically, not all apples provide the same health benefits. Although the areas you eat can play a role, the type of apple can also affect the beneficial bacteria you eat. After comparing conventional and organic apples, the researchers found that the organic ones had a higher diversity of bacteria.
In addition, we will also flee from pesticides and all the chemicals that are added to scare away pathogens and insects. Either way, the important thing is to consume apples to provide nutrients and variety to your diet.