Summer is the prime season for enjoying a wide variety of delicious fruits. While indulging， you might ponder: can we eat the seeds or pits found within fruits? And what happens if we accidentally swallow one? This article aims to provide clarity.
Fruits Whose Seeds/Pits Are Generally Harmless When Swallowed in Small Quantities
Many of us might recall childhood warnings about swallowing watermelon seeds， fearing a watermelon might grow inside us. In reality， for most common fruits like grapes， pomegranates， and watermelons， accidentally ingesting a small amount of their seeds or pits is typically not a cause for great concern. After all， the seeds sold as snacks are essentially the same as those found inside the fruit. Since these kernels are largely indigestible by the human gastrointestinal system， they usually pass through the digestive tract and are expelled naturally. This is also how plants naturally propagate their seeds in nature.
Interestingly， some fruit pits are not only edible but can also be quite delicious when prepared. For instance， the seeds of durian and jackfruit， when cooked， have a texture resembling chestnuts. Some people even use them in soups， imparting a subtly sweet flavor.
Fruits Whose Seeds/Pits Should Be Avoided or Are Potentially Harmful
1. Rosaceae Family Fruits
This category includes common fruits such as apples， pears， plums， loquats， and cherries. The seeds or pits of these fruits contain cyanogenic glycosides， which can be harmful and should not be consumed.
Cyanogenic glycosides themselves are not toxic. However， when the fruit pits are chewed along with the fruit， the unstable glycosides can hydrolyze in the presence of acid or enzymes， producing a toxic substance called hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide). Hydrogen cyanide poisoning can lead to symptoms like oxygen deprivation， suffocation， and in severe cases， can be fatal.
It’s important to note that the amount of cyanogenic glycosides in a single pit is very small. Toxicity typically occurs only after consuming a significant quantity. For context， a person would likely need to consume around 100 apple seeds for the amount of hydrocyanic acid to potentially cause adverse effects， as the amount of cyanide that can trigger poisoning is estimated to be between 50-200 milligrams. Therefore， occasional chewing or swallowing of a few seeds is generally not a cause for serious alarm. However， it is still advisable for children， the elderly， and individuals with weaker constitutions to exercise extra caution.
A notable mention here is bitter almonds. Thanks to popular media， the toxicity of bitter almonds is widely known. Bitter almonds contain amygdalin， another type of cyanogenic glycoside. The content of cyanogenic glycosides in bitter almonds can range from 2% to 4%， making it one of the higher sources within the Rosaceae family. An estimated few milligrams of hydrogen cyanide can be released per gram of bitter almond， and consuming roughly 20 to 60 bitter almonds could lead to poisoning.
You might wonder why almond products are readily available in supermarkets. These are typically made from sweet almonds， which contain very low levels of cyanogenic glycosides. However， bitter and sweet almonds look very similar and can be easily confused. For this reason， it is strongly recommended not to consume raw almond pits gathered from the wild.
2. Ginkgo Biloba Seeds (Maidenhair Tree Seeds / “Bai Guo”)
Ginkgo seeds contain toxins like ginkgolic acid and cardanol， which possess cytotoxic， immunotoxic， and sensitizing properties. Ingestion can lead to poisoning， causing symptoms related to the gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Furthermore， ginkgo seeds also contain small amounts of cyanides and alkaloid-like substances， which can interact and potentially lead to more complex toxicological effects.
It’s worth noting that cyanogenic glycosides are not stored in the body and are sensitive to heat. Therefore， theoretically， the pits and seeds mentioned as unsafe might be rendered edible after thorough cooking. Nevertheless， it is still not recommended to prepare and consume these fruit pits yourself. Creating food from potentially toxic raw materials carries inherent risks， while purchasing commercially prepared， safe， and affordable options is a far more practical and prudent choice.
Additional Precautions Regarding Fruit Pits and Seeds
1. Chewing Certain Fruit Seeds or Pits for Health Benefits?
Many people have heard about the potential health benefits of certain fruit seeds， such as the antioxidants in grape seeds or the skin-whitening properties of pomegranate seeds. However， these benefits are typically derived from complex extraction processes. Consuming them directly not only yields limited amounts of these compounds but also places a burden on the digestive system due to their hard outer shells.
2. Exercise Extreme Caution with Jujube Pits!
Many people enjoy adding red dates to porridge， believing they impart sweetness. However， the sharp jujube pit poses a significant danger. If accidentally swallowed and lodged in the throat， it can cause persistent coughing and severe throat pain. In more serious cases， it can lacerate the esophagus， leading to bleeding， infection， or even perforation of the esophageal wall， which can be life-threatening.
Should a jujube pit enter the intestinal tract， it can lead to bowel obstruction， causing intense abdominal pain， persistent vomiting， and may even necessitate surgical intervention for removal.
