# Do I have to cook these packaged fresh gingko nuts?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-cook-these-packaged-fresh-gingko-nuts/987801>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** food-cooking\
**Created:** [July 29, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-cook-these-packaged-fresh-gingko-nuts/987801 "2023-07-29T19:45:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-cook-these-packaged-fresh-gingko-nuts/987801/1 "2023-07-29T19:45:20Z")

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Picked these up kind of randomly at the Chinese supermarket, in a vacuum-sealed refrigerated bag like those shown below. I know nothing about gingko nuts, but just read that they’re pretty toxic raw, and not entirely nontoxic even cooked. But I can’t tell if what I bought is already cooked at all. What say you? (And by the way, what should I do with them?)

> **[Fresh Ginkgo Nuts 100g | Yami](https://www.yamibuy.com/en/p/fresh-ginkgo-nuts-100g/3146070661)**
>
> Fresh Ginkgo Nuts 100g, Brand: Nature Farm, Vegetables-Yami. 100% authentic, 30-day return guarantee, authorized retailer, low price.

[https://www.awsmarket.com.sg/ginko-nut](https://www.awsmarket.com.sg/ginko-nut)

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**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-cook-these-packaged-fresh-gingko-nuts/987801/2 "2023-07-29T19:52:10Z")

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Fresh implies raw, so I would cook them.

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**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-cook-these-packaged-fresh-gingko-nuts/987801/3 "2023-07-29T19:56:48Z")

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That does seem safest. My package doesn’t actually say “fresh” but it looks just like that one.

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-cook-these-packaged-fresh-gingko-nuts/987801/4 "2023-07-29T20:59:46Z")

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I’ve tried prepared gingko nuts that looked very similar but were steamed. I was unable to detect any agreeable characteristics.

Roast chestnuts were even worse.

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**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-cook-these-packaged-fresh-gingko-nuts/987801/5 "2023-07-30T01:11:51Z")

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> [@jnglmassiv](#):
>
> I was unable to detect any agreeable characteristics.

lol!!