Cyanide is a poisonous chemical that can be found in many plants and animals. It is especially dangerous when it comes to some fruits.
Cyanide is a naturally occurring chemical that has been used as a poison for centuries. Cyanide can be found in many plant-based foods, including almonds, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries and bitter almonds. It’s also found in some plant-based oils such as linseed oil and tung oil.
Contrary to popular belief, most cyanide poisoning cases result from deliberate ingestion of cyanogenic plants or foods containing cyanogenic glucosides (sugars). However, there have been cases of accidental cyanide poisoning from ingestion of apricot kernels due to their high concentration of amygdalin, which can be converted into toxic hydrogen cyanide by the body’s enzymes if not properly broken down before ingestion.
The seeds of some fruits contain a toxic chemical called cyanide. This is not a new discovery, but it’s important to know which fruits have the most cyanide and how much is in them.
Cyanide is found in both plant and animal life. It’s an extremely toxic chemical that can cause death if ingested in high doses. Although it’s naturally present in many foods, eating more than a small amount of them can be dangerous.
Here are some fruits with cyanide:
The apple seeds contain amygdalin, which turns into hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when ingested by humans or animals. The HCN binds to red blood cells and interferes with their ability to carry oxygen around the body. This can lead to coma and death if untreated; however, not all apples contain amygdalin or HCN (see below).
Apricot seeds contain up to 2% hydrogen cyanide (HCN) depending on variety and growing conditions. They also contain significant amounts of benzaldehyde which has been shown to cause cancer in rats when fed large quantities over several years.(1)
Some varieties of apricots have been bred so that they no longer contain any amygdalin or benzaldehyde because they are
Cyanide is a deadly poison that has been used as a weapon of war, but it’s also found in some foods. The key to avoiding cyanide poisoning is to know which foods contain it and how much is too much.
Cyanide is produced by the breakdown of certain foods. It’s also released when some plastics are burned.
The following foods contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when they’re digested:
Almonds
Soybeans
Peaches
Apricots
Figs (fresh and dried)
Cherry seeds
Plums
There are several foods that contain cyanide, including:
Almonds
Apricot kernels
Cherries
Cocoa beans
Figs (dried)
Mangoes (raw)
Peaches (raw)
Persimmons (raw)
Plums (sour)
The following is a list of fruits and vegetables that contain cyanogenic glycosides:
Almonds – raw or cooked
Apples – raw or cooked
Apricots – raw or cooked
Avocados – raw or cooked
Bananas – raw or cooked
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) – raw or cooked
Blackberries – raw or cooked
Blueberries – raw or cooked
Cantaloupe (muskmelon) – raw or cooked
Cherries, sweet – raw or cooked
Cherries, sour (sour pie cherries) – raw or cooked; pits are safe to eat if removed from fruit prior to cooking. However, the stems are not safe to eat because they can absorb some of the toxins from the leaves and stems. If you wish to grow your own sour cherries for pies, don’t plant them close to other cherry trees since birds may spread their seeds. You also need to be careful when pruning these trees since you don’t want them to produce any branches lower than three feet off the ground, as this would expose them to rootworms which could transmit viruses between trees.
Cyanide is a chemical compound with the formula CN. It is a colorless, highly toxic gas. Cyanide is usually used in chemical synthesis and not found in nature. It is extremely poisonous to all living organisms. However, some bacteria can use cyanide as a source of nitrogen. Cyanide kills by interfering with the ability of cells to use oxygen. Cyanide is also used for killing insects and has been employed as an agent in suicide and homicide.
Some plants contain cyanogenic glycosides that release hydrogen cyanide (HCN) upon hydrolysis, including apple seeds and bitter almonds among others. The seeds have been found to be particularly rich in these toxins, due to their ability to resist digestion by birds who are known to eat them.[1] Other plants may also contain glycosides with similar effects such as limonin in oranges or orellin in celery leaf.[2]
Fruits with Cyanide in the Seeds
Cyanide is a chemical compound that can be found in plants and animals. Cyanide is found in the seeds of some plants, including fruits such as apples and apricots. While cyanide has been used as a poison for centuries, it also occurs naturally in many foods we eat every day.
Most plants produce cyanogenic glycosides (cyanogenic sugars) to protect themselves against being eaten by insects or other animals. These chemicals change into hydrogen cyanide (HCN), which is poisonous to most organisms, when they are taken into the body and broken down by enzymes. The hydrogen cyanide then combines with iron and forms an insoluble salt that cannot harm humans or animals who eat the plant because it cannot be absorbed into their bodies from the gut.
Humans do not have the enzymes needed to break down HCN into its harmless form so eating fruits with cyanide can cause serious health problems if enough HCN enters your body. However, there are only small amounts of HCN in fruit seeds so unless you eat large amounts of these fruits at once, you will probably be OK when eating them as part of your normal diet.
The only fruit with cyanide in the seeds is apricot.
Apricots contain anywhere from 1 to 50 micrograms of cyanide per 100 grams of fruit, depending on variety and growing conditions (1). The amount of cyanide in apricots is much lower than that found in other foods such as almonds, apple seeds and lima beans. However, it’s still enough to cause severe health problems if consumed in large amounts.
The amount of cyanide found in apricot kernels is enough to be toxic if eaten raw or undercooked (2). It can also be toxic when eaten raw if you’re sensitive to it or have an allergy or related condition such as asthma. Cooking or roasting the kernels will eliminate some of their toxicity (3).
In addition to being toxic when consumed raw or undercooked, apricots may also pose health risks for some people due to their high potassium content (4). Potassium can cause heart arrhythmias when taken with certain medications including diuretics (5). If you are taking diuretics, you should speak with your doctor before consuming apricots on a regular basis.
The most common source of cyanide is the seeds of many nuts and fruits, especially apricot kernels. Cyanide, in the form of hydrogen cyanide gas, is released when the seeds are crushed, chewed or digested.
The amount of cyanide in each seed varies from species to species and from individual to individual. For example, in apricots some people can eat two or three seeds without any ill effect; others get sick after eating one or two. In general, however, most people can safely eat about 10-20 apricot kernels without any significant problem.
Cyanide is also found in apples and tomatoes (both members of the nightshade family), but not in all varieties.
It’s true that apples, peaches and almonds have cyanide in their seeds. But it’s not something to worry about.
Cyanide is found in the seed of many plants as a defense mechanism against predators. The poison is released when the seed is damaged or eaten.
The amount of cyanide varies from species to species. For example, an average-sized apple contains about 6 milligrams of cyanide (mg), while a peach contains about 3 mg. An almond contains about 0.25 mg of cyanide per nut.
In comparison, an apricot has about 5 mg of cyanide; an orange has just 3 mg; and a cherry has no detectable amount of the toxin at all.
It’s also important to note that these levels are very low compared with other foods we eat every day — for example, broccoli has about 10 mg of cyanide per 100 grams (about 3 oz).
The fruit with the highest cyanide content is the same one that is responsible for most of the world’s apple production: the apple.
Apple seeds contain cyanide, as do apricot and peach pits. In fact, all stone fruits (apricots, peaches, plums and cherries) contain this poison.
The same applies to berries. Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are all potentially dangerous if consumed in large quantities or when unripe.
While many foods contain trace amounts of cyanide, these are usually found in the leaves or roots and not in the fleshy parts of a fruit or vegetable. For example, leafy greens like spinach and kale contain more than five times more than what is considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO).