Can i eat apricot kernels




















The kernels contain protein, fiber, and a high percentage of oil, which people can extract from the kernel. People use oil pressed from the sweet kernel can be used for cooking in the same way as they might use sweet almond oil. Processed foods, such as amaretto biscuits, almond finger biscuits, and apricot jams, contain apricot kernels. Some people who live in the North-West Himalayas think wild apricots and their kernels have both nutritional and medicinal uses. Possible uses include biodiesel production, skin, and hair-care products.

Oil and kernels from the bitter variety of apricot kernel are often ingredients in cosmetics, such as body oil, face cream, lip balm, and essential oil.

In India, people use apricot kernel oil is used to make massage oil, because they believe it relieves aches and pains. One study reports that, depending on the type of apricot, the kernels are composed of :. Around 5 percent of the kernel is fiber. Apricot kernel oil is high in essential fatty acids.

These are necessary for human health, but the human body cannot produce them, so people must take them in through diet. There are two main types of essential fatty acids: linoleic acid omega-6 and alpha-linolenic acid omega Linolenic acid plays a vital role in brain function and healthy growth and development.

Fatty acids also stimulate skin and hair growth, regulate metabolism, maintain bone health, and support the reproductive system. Many people think that fatty acids have antioxidant properties. In a rodent study published in , rats with liver fibrosis received a dose of 1. Researchers found there was an improvement in symptoms.

They suggested this may be due to antioxidant activity, as the kernels contain oleic acid and other polyphenols. Apricot kernels do not contain a significant amount of vitamins and minerals, but the oil is rich in vitamin E. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin E has antioxidant properties. Apricot kernels may have some health benefits, and some people have suggested that they may help fight cancer. Scientists have proposed that a compound called amygdalin, present in apricot kernels, may be a way to eradicate tumors and prevent cancer by stopping cells from reproducing.

A laboratory study published in suggested that amygdalin might inhibit genes that lead to cell proliferation. It is also present in the seeds of other fruit, including apples, cherries, plums, and peaches. Clover, sorghum, and lima beans also contain amygdalin. Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside. When someone eats amygdalin, it converts to cyanide in their body. Cyanide is a fast-acting, potentially deadly chemical. Depending on the dose, consuming cyanide can lead to :. Cyanide kills cells in the human body by preventing them from using oxygen.

Cyanide is particularly harmful to the heart and the brain because they use a lot of oxygen. Exposure can lead to long-term effects on the heart, brain, and nervous system. Research suggests that 0. Estimates state that eating 50 to 60 apricot kernels could deliver a lethal dose of cyanide.

Cyanide poisoning can occur at much lower levels, however. Commercial sources that promote the consumption of raw apricot kernels recommend between 6 and 10 kernels per day. Some recommend more for people with cancer, but this can be dangerous.

People who follow these dose recommendations are likely to be exposed to cyanide levels that cause cyanide poisoning. Ernst T. Krebs, Sr. However, the treatment was found too toxic for general use. His son later found a safer and nontoxic formula in the s. This formula was also extracted from apricot kernels. Apricots share many similar properties and uses with almonds. Apricot kernels are made up of:. The kernels contain essential fatty acids omega-6s and omega-3s.

These help fight heart disease, improve mental health, and have a host of other benefits. Apricot kernels also contain the chemical compound amygdalin. This has been previously linked to cancer-fighting claims. Laetrile is the patented drug name for amygdalin.

He claimed that cancer was caused by a vitamin B deficiency and that supplementing with it would stop the development of cancer cells. Under its various names, amygdalin has been claimed to hold various cancer-fighting benefits, even now. But many amygdalin-endorsing websites rely on supporting assertions from people with cancer. Another theory suggests that because amygdalin is converted into cyanide in the body, the cyanide works to destroy cancer cells within the body. This is said to prevent the growth of tumors.

The U. A review published by the Cochrane Library noted that because of the possible cyanide poisoning associated with consuming large amounts of amygdalin, all forms of laetrile are dangerous.

However, another study , published in , observed the effects of amygdalin on the growth of prostate cancer cells. Once amygdalin makes its way to our intestines and goes through the process of digestion, it releases hydrogen cyanide. According to Health Canada, human bodies can tolerate and detoxify small amounts of cyanide, but large amounts in a short period can be dangerous.

As of Jan. It is still safe to eat apricots and other fruits whose pits and seeds contain amygdalin. Symptoms of acute cyanide poisoning include: weakness, nausea, headache, confusion, seizures and cardiac arrest. Some of the apricot kernel products being recalled by the CFIA. Related Stories CFIA recalls some products containing apricot kernels over risk of cyanide poisoning.

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