Are apricot seeds unsafe to eat? Or are only certain types? If so what kinds?!


Question: Are apricot seeds unsafe to eat? Or are only certain types? If so what kinds?
Answers:

I don't know what sheena's on about.

They contain cyanide.
They do taste nice and can be used to flavour some drinks. Heating in a still destroys the CN so it tends to be cold infusion.

If you eat too many you will of cyanide poisoning



You mean apricot kernels - they're mostly safe provided you don't overdo it.

Now if you are considering this as a cancer treatment - forget it. It's naturopathic nonsense with no basis in medical science. It's basis is quack websites and book sales.

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EDIT: From wiki - FYI:
"Apricot kernels can sometimes be strong-tasting and bitter. They feature in recipes for apricot jam, and Italian amaretto cookies and liqueur. Taken in excess, they may produce symptoms of cyanide poisoning, including nausea, fever, rash, headaches, insomnia, increased thirst, weakness, lethargy, nervousness, various aches and pains in joints and muscles, a drop in blood pressure.
In 1993, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets tested the cyanide content of two 8oz. packages of apricot kernels that were imported from Pakistan which were being sold in health-food stores as a snack. The results showed that each package, if consumed entirely, contained at least double the minimum lethal dosage of cyanide for an adult human. The apricot pits were recalled and removed from stores.[3] In spite of this, there were no USA deaths and only 1 serious toxicity from apricot kernels reported from 1979 to 1998.[4] On average, an apricot kernel contains about 0.5 mg of cyanide."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apricot_ker…



Apricot kernels contain cyanide.

I don't know why you're considering eating them; they are usually peddled as containing the non-existent vitamin B17 and being a cancer treatment.

In fact apricot kernels and the commercial preparations of them are one of the few 'alternative cancer treatments' that has been properly tested. And it has been found to be completely ineffective - both as a preventative and a treatment.

So - useless AND dangerous. And apparently bad tasting. Avoid.



ALL seeds of "stone fruits" contain small amounts of neorotoxins.
Do not ever eat them under any circumstances.
Plus, they're not very tasty, why would you want to?
lol
If a kid or pet gets ahold of one, call the poison controll center and they'll tell you what to do from there.




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