Fruit seeds you can eat? Nonsense!
This is the main reaction I get from people when I tell them I eat apple seeds (or more so, the core of apples) or watermelon seeds. Contrary to popular belief, these seeds will not poison you, and they won’t sprout a mini plant inside your stomach. In fact, a large majority of fruit seeds contain beneficial amino acids, vitamins and minerals that you normally wouldn’t get if you just threw them away.
Now I am not saying that you should go an eat all the seeds I mention below in exorbitant amounts (as with anything – moderation is key) – but I am simply trying to get rid of the myth that eating these seeds isn’t good for you. If you happen to consume those 5 apple or pear seeds from a fruit you ate as an afternoon snack, you aren’t going to convulse in some poison-induced seizure. In fact, you’ll be just fine. A couple times a month I may take a bit of inner portion of an avocado seed (whilst preparing a salad), and eat a bit of it. Again, everything in moderation.
So, without further ado, here are 6 fruit seeds you can eat to improve your health AND prevent cancer!
Avocado Seeds:
Who doesn’t love avocados? Not only is it one of the most nutrient dense fruits around, but you can eat their seeds too! In fact, the seed of the avocado (or the “pit”) is one of the best sources of soluble fibre on Earth, and is rich in antioxidants and potassium. The pit contains a small amount of tannins that are only toxic in extremely large quantities (like, who is going to eat 10 avocado seeds in a sitting? That would be silly!).
Avocado seeds contain over 70% of the antioxidants found in the whole avocado, and helps to lower cholesterol, prevent cardiovascular disease and prevent strokes. They also help to reduce inflammation in the GI tract and ease bowel issues. Antioxidant activities from the avocado seed have also been found to induce apoptosis (cell death) of cancer cells as well as inhibit cancer cell growth and induce cell cycle arrest.
Apple Seeds:
Everyone is scared of apple seeds because they have heard of the cyanide content in the seeds. The truth is, you would have to eat so many apple seeds in order to get any toxicological effects from them. Don’t be afraid to juice the whole apple, or eat apple seeds from apples you eat. A tiny amount of cyanide is normal to normal cells, and in some scientific studies has even been found to kill cancer cells.
Vitamin B17, otherwise known as laetrile, is also found in high amounts in apple seeds, and has been found to help cure cancer. Although this vitamin has been controversial amongst the health and medical community, it is clear that it has beneficial effects.
I’ve been eating apple seeds since I was a child, and I have never been healthier! Don’t be afraid of those apple seeds – but also don’t go eating handfuls of them at a time.
Pear Seeds:
Pear seeds are incredibly small and soft, and it is usually impossible to tell whether you have eaten them or not (especially if your fruit is organic). Similarly to apples, pear seeds contain a small amount of cyanide, which again, will definitely not kill you if you aren’t eating stupendous amounts at a time. Pear seeds contain more antioxidants and essential fatty acids than they do cyanide, and considering they are so small, you could probably eat 8 pear fruits, seeds and all, without any effects.
Papaya Seeds:
Papaya seeds are commonly consumed by those who live in tropical areas to help prevent parasite infestation in the body. They contain a proteolytic enzyme, papain, that literally rids your body of parasites by targeting parasite eggs and digesting their proteins. Papaya seeds also contain an anthelmintic alkaloid called carpaine, that also helps kill parasitic worms and amoebas.
Papaya seeds contain a beneficial glucosinolate (a sulphur-containing glucoside) called glucotropaeolin, which when metabolized by the body, creates one of the strongest anti-cancer compounds called isothiocyanate.
Papaya seeds have a very intense flavour, almost like black peppercorns (and can even be dehydrated and made into a natural “papaya pepper” instead of black peppercorn pepper), and can be eaten fresh, right out of the fruit!
Citrus Fruit Seeds:
All citrus fruit seeds are safe to consume, given you are juicing them or happen to bite into some while eating an orange or grapefruit. I regularly juice citrus with seeds inside, and haven’t discovered any adverse reactions to them.
Lemon seeds actually contain trace amounts of salicylic acid (the main ingredient in aspirin), so eating a few lemon seeds here and there won’t particularly harm you, they’ll just give you some ache and pain-relieving benefits!
Watermelon Seeds:
One of my all-time favourite seeds – watermelon seeds! I remember spitting out the black seeds as a kid because I was concerned that a watermelon might grow in my stomach – but now I crave them as much as I do the watermelon flesh!
These seeds are incredibly high in zinc, which regulates over 100 different enzymes in the body and is crucial for proper immune function. Unfortunately, this mineral is not stored in your body for long periods of time, so ensuring that you get plenty of zinc in your diet every day is important.
Watermelon seeds are also high in the amino acid arginine, which helps regulate blood pressure and treats coronary heart disease. They are also rich in the B vitamin, niacin, as well as the mineral magnesium, which over 80% of the population is deficient.
Interesting! Do you need to bite into the seeds, or can you swallow them whole?
You can bite or swallow them! Biting would be better though.
Good deal. Thanks, Carly! – Marly
Nope, swallowing will make the seed get out of your system intact. Biting & chewing is must.
Makes sense. Seed husks are pretty tough. Thanks!
http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/are-apple-seeds-poisonous#LethalDose3
As per actual medical sources, about 20 cores worth of seeds would kill you. However, you have to be careful because cyanide is not excreted, though a small amount may be metabolised, meaning that it will build up in the body, and no, they are not safe.
Thanks for your input!
Obviously Matt works for big Pharma.
Cyanide does NOT build up on the body Some of the cyanide is changed to thiocyanate, and is leaves the body through urine. A small amount of cyanide is converted in the body to carbon dioxide, which leaves the body in the breath. This takes about 24 hours.
Hi carly please is it safe to blend it all up and drink.
I wouldn't just blend up fruit seeds and drink them. If you are making a smoothie and you happen to add in some seeds from fruit in there, it will be fine to drink. Does that answer your question?
They didn't kill them back in the bible days they always try to make us scare of natural fruits and vegetables
What about pineapple seeds? The tiny little seess that are embedded in the pineapple after u cutt the skin off.
That's interesting! I am sure those are super beneficial too!
what about figs which are too many seeds in it? I ate figs almost every other day about 3 or 4 of them. those seeds may actually scrub your stomach i guess.
Fig seeds are great too! 🙂
If that was the case, I should be dead. I have eaten so many apple seeds in my life that if the cyanide was not excreted I would have killed myself by now. As I love apples, I can eat 2 or 3 for lunch, so far I am alive a kicking and VERY healthy.
[…] 6 Fruit Seeds You Can Eat To Improve … – Fruit seeds you can eat? Nonsense! This is the main reaction I get from people when I tell them I eat apple seeds (or more so, the core of apples) or … […]
I recently purchased a couple of papayas, and there were no seeds inside?? I have found that there is a variety of papayas, which ones would I expect to find the seeds?
Oh weird! Might have just been an immature one. Usually the ones that are more long have lots of black seeds. The ones that are shorter and stout and very wide around the mid-section often have less seeds!
Awesome! Thanks for the response! I believe it was a maturity issue after finding seeds in the next one.
The hybrid variety of papaya do not have seeds in them
Hmm I've not seen any like that, only once in Costa Rica. All the ones I've had have lots of seeds in them!
Okay. Great to hear about the avocados but one problem: how in the hell do I get the seed to consume it? It looks pretty tough. I've never tried to break one before. Please advice. Thanks.
I just take a knife and break off little pieces from it!
So it doesn't matter if you eat the outer part of the seed or the inner part? Can you eat an entire avocado seed at one time? I don't eat a lot of avocados due to cost and where they come from (where I live they come mostly from Mexico, Peru and one other SA country), but when they are in season, I like to eat a few a week. I've just been throwing the seeds away. lol
Both outer and inner is fine. I do not eat a whole avocado seed. I might take a little piece of it off or shave it down with a grater, and mix into my salad, but only like a teaspoon or so.
Thank you Carly b4 having a luk at your artical I thought citrus fruit seeds are very harmful as my mother used to say us since child hood
I would even lyk to know taking lemon juice whit out any mixture of water or anything really causes harm in any kind??
Make sure you chase lemon in your mouth with water to save your teeth!
Thank you, I am a great believer on the benefits of seeds in moderation, I even eat the lemons' seeds. I resent the fact that grapes are being cultivated to be seedless. Big mistake, notice than in health food stores there are supplements with the name of "Grape seed". A mother of a child told me she was afraid that with grapes with seeds her child could choke! In fact she could choke more easily with the grape than with the seed. It would be bad that if, with this trend, it could become difficult to buy grapes with seeds. Let's also not to forget about the value of peels.
I totally agree, I wish all fruit still had the seeds inside!
How about jackfruit seed? My 11 months baby has swallowed it.. I waited that it may come during motion. Baby is active..please advice on this
A jackfruit seed? Did your baby not choke? It should be fine…but I am not a medical professional.
I took 2 jackfruits worth of seeds, so about 80 seeds total (raw), ground them in a blender with water and stevia and drank the whole thing without thinking. Will I be ok???
Ummmm…I’m not sure, that is kind of a lot of seeds to consume in 1 sitting. Where did you get the idea to consume 80 raw jackfruit seeds? I’d monitor how you’re feeling, and if you feel off, I would go to the hospital.. :\
I’d say yes. Ppl in Asia boil the seeds and eat as snack. I think it’s good idea to grind it up and add sweet substance to drink. However I agree 80 seeds all at once was a lot.
Jack fruit seeds are very nutritious.In India,we consume raw fruit,ripe fruit and also the seeds are used in many ways- roasted,boiled and added to curries or used as flour along with wheat to make flat breads
Cooked they are delicious (almost like mini potatoes), but not raw? And if raw, then minimal.
FINALLY someone with some common sense who is not advising people to freak out over apple seeds! I wrote a blog article titled, "Apple Seeds Are Safe". I'm going to edit that article to add a link to this one!
Awesome! Yes, I have been eating apple seeds since I was little – no ill effects!
I drink a cup of worm water mix with drops of lemon every morning and eat 2 or 3 seeds of it as well is that fine.
Yup! Totally fine.
For last 1 month I drink 2 lemons everyday (for a better skin and hair). That means I am eating at least 3 – 6 lemon seeds everyday. It won’t be a problem, right?
Just make sure you rinse your mouth out with plain water after the fact. It shouldn’t be a problem, nope.
How many tangerine seeds can I safely consume in at once considering their alleged toxicity; and is it safe to make this a daily activity?
I don’t know about tangerine seeds. But I am sure consuming a couple every day isn’t going to hurt.
Ok. Thanks a lot Carly. Really appreciate. I just recently started blending whole tangerine (seeds and all) with other fruits; and after reading all the stuff about cyanide I got really scared and felt I might have made a terrible mistake. Thanks.
No you’re fine!
[…] https://livelovefruit.com/6-fruit-seeds-you-can-eat/ […]
thanks a lot. Chris Inegbenekhian , really appreciate. i just recently started blending whole watermelon
seeds all with other fruits after reading from you
its so nice to reading about your stories telling us what the seed contin.i will like tto know something about
diebetic tape 11 too in your reply
many thanks
chris inegbenekhian
i eat an apple every day after lunch. twice in my life i decided to eat entire apples instead of avoiding the core and seeds. both times, after about a week, i started getting strange headaches every day, for a few days in a row, until i stopped eating the apple seeds. i tried that when i was 25 years old and again around 30. i rarely get headaches.. maybe not even one a year. i don’t remember exactly how the headaches felt when consuming apple seeds, but it felt somewhat similar to a headache i sometimes have the day after drinking 4 glasses of wine and being out all night. but stranger with apple seeds. no hangover similarty, not focused pain like a true headache; more like getting zapped in small doses with electricity directly onto my brain.
You may hear people today say, “Oh, you don’t want to eat the kernel of the apricot seed because it has cyanide in it.” Yes, it does have cyanide in it, but it only kills the cancer cells. Cancer cells feed on sugar, and they see the cyanide as sugar, attach to it, and immediately explode and die. The healthy cells are covered with a protective enzyme called rhodanese, which is identified as the “protecting enzyme.” It has the ability to neutralize cyanide by converting it instantly into by-products that actually are beneficial and essential to health. This enzyme is found in great quantities in every part of the body except the cancer cell which, consequently, is not protected, and it dies.
My nephew, age 52, was diagnosed in Jan 2016 with Stage 4 Prostrate Cancer with a tumor the size of a baseball in his scrotum area and cancer had metastasized into his hips and shoulders. He had a very high PSA reading of 242! He opted to not be treated with the radiation his doctor suggested. He changed to an organic plant based diet, took 500 mg 3 x per day of B17/Laetrile which is made from the kernel of the apricot seed along with a few other special vitamins & Megazyme Forte to flush out the dead cancer cells. By June the tumor had shrunk to the size of a small grape. By Aug his very high PSA reading had gone down to 11.9!
I eat a minimum of 10 apricot kernels and put the whole apple + seeds in my breakfast smoothie every day to prevent cancer. The seeds have absolutely NO adverse effects on me! There is not ONE case of anyone ever dying from eating too many apricot kernels and they contain the highest concentration of B17 of any fruit!!! My grandmother ate apples everyday including the seeds (containing B17) with NO side effects!!! Read about the people of Hunza who scientists discovered in the 1020’s who lived well beyond 100. Apricots were their main source of income. They eat many apricot kernels everyday and not one of them had cancer!!!!
This is great information. Will try lemon seeds as my 2 trees produced over 100 large grape size fruit. I have been researching what to do with the lemons and parts . Thanks.
That’s awesome! Wish I had a lemon tree 😉
hey in my country watermellon at papaya seeds are processed to be a salty crunchy snacks here in ph eating this processed seeds will get same benefits as mentions in this article or not because lose those minerals in the process?
btw we eat the core of the seeds not the hard coating shell though 🙂
Hello. Yes, that would mean they are heated and likely many of the nutrients are depleted.
Would you please post your references?
Thanks!!
References are in the text itself. They are usually a different colour from regular text, and hyperlink to the article I reference.
I'm confused… if they are safe to eat why aren't they safe to blend? I just use limes in my smoothies instead of lemons so that I don't have to pick out the seeds! 🙂
They are safe to blend, I don't think I said in the article that they are not safe to blend?
i have had a burn treatment for a nickel size cancer spot on my liver. Is it safe to start on the apricot seeds at this time?
Yes, that should be fine.
I love your article. It's been helpful. I need to do more on harnessing this for the benefit of my community being a biochemist.
Your assistance is needed in obtaining published journals to support this.
Strange isn't it that we have grown up thinking seeds should not be eaten and that as youngsters we are told that a tree from the seeds will grow in our stomach. Also strange I know someone who swallows the whole pip of a cherry and has never even had any discomfort.