Contents
Many people are afraid to eat apple seeds because they have heard that eating them can be poisonous. However, there is no need to worry!find out what happens if you eat an apple seed.
Checkout this video:
Introduction
Apple seeds contain a poisonous compound called amygdalin. This compound is broken down into cyanide when it comes into contact with digestive fluids in your gut. Cyanide prevents cells from using oxygen and can cause death in high enough doses.
What are Apple Seeds?
Apple seeds contain a natural chemical called amygdalin. When the seed is chewed, this chemical turns into cyanide. Cyanide is a poison that can interfere with the way your body uses oxygen, and it can be fatal in high doses.
What Happens if You Eat an Apple Seed?
If you eat an apple seed, it will pass through your digestive system and come out the other end. The apple seed will not grow inside your stomach or harm you in any way.
Symptoms
The symptoms of acute cyanide poisoning eating apple seeds or other cyanogenic glycosides can happen rapidly. In fact, they can occur in as little as 15 minutes, although it’s more likely that they’start within 30 minutes to four hours after eating the seeds. The most common symptoms include:
-Headache
-Dizziness
-Nausea and vomiting
-Weakness
-Confusion
-Rapid breathing and heartbeat (tachycardia)
-Collapse
-Seizures
-Coma
Treatment
If you eat a large number of apple seeds, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. However, eating a small number of seeds is not likely to be harmful. If you are concerned, contact your local poison control center or seek medical attention.
Prevention
best way to prevent any adverse effects from eating apple seeds is to remove them before eating the fruit. If you accidentally eat a seed, there is no need to panic. Most likely, nothing will happen. However, it is always best to err on the side of caution and consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.
Conclusion
While apple seeds contain a small amount of cyanide, it would take a lot of them to poison you. potentially fatal dose of cyanide is about .5-.6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (or .2-.3 mg/lb). That would be like eating the seeds from 20-30 apples at once. A 125-pound person would need to eat around 40 apple seeds to be in serious danger.
