# Is it safe to juice whole apples, including seeds? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374 "2011-05-27T00:32:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![djc2323](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@djc2323](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djc2323)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/21 "2011-05-27T19:53:40Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#): > > Wait… what? > > So, something that both isn’t effective for cancer treatment, and also slowly poisons me with cyanide is a good deal? > > Where can I find this in bulk? thats your rebuttal lmao you just breathed in more deadly chemicals than you will ever get from a seed…this must be a joke ---
**Author:** ![djc2323](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@djc2323](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djc2323)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/22 "2011-05-27T19:56:55Z")
> [@djc2323](#): > > it is most definitely safe most fruit seeds contain vitamin b17 and it is very important to our diets to eliminate the possibility of cancer..fda wont approve b17 bear in mind the guy who did the only study for the fda is named macdonald and is the very man who coin the term “a pack a day keeps lung cancer away” ahhhh the 50’s gotta love em..the info is out there if u need it just google b17 or (Nitrilosides) or Laetrile and amygdalin…then u will find the straight dope > by the way u need a hundred grams of apple seeds to make 500g of b17 so even if u dont care to know the rest at least u can rest assured a few seeds are safe…much love “vitamin b17 and it is very important to our diets to eliminate the possibility of cancer”…where do you see cancer treatment…yes your intelligence runs deep ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/23 "2011-05-27T20:00:04Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > That’s absurd - when apples are pressed commercially for cider or juice, they’re shredded and pressed. Nobody removes the seeds. Having been to a place in Watsonville that does this, you forgot 'strained", and from what I saw, the process would not get _too_ much stuff from the seeds. Some, certainly. In moderation, the Op’s process seems safe. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/24 "2011-05-27T20:00:33Z")
> [@djc2323](#): > > thats your rebuttal lmao you just breathed in more deadly chemicals than you will ever get from a seed…this must be a joke “It is believed that the active anticancer ingredient in laetrile is cyanide” “The side effects of laetrile are like the symptoms of cyanide poisoning” > **[Laetrile/Amygdalin](https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/laetrile-pdq)** > > Laetrile (Amygdalin) has shown little anticancer activity in animal studies and no anticancer activity in human clinical trials. Laetrile is not approved for use in the United States. Learn more about the use of Laetrile for cancer in this... And yes, it is a cancer treatment. Just one with no clinical effectiveness and the side effect of “poisoning.” ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/25 "2011-05-27T20:00:42Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Do you have impartial evidence to support this assertion? If not, you should not have posted in this thread in this forum. If so, you should have included it in your post. People calm down. It’s just apple juice we are talking about here:rolleyes: [http://www.juicing-for-health.com/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-their-seeds.html](http://www.juicing-for-health.com/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-their-seeds.html) [http://chemistry.about.com/b/2007/09/12/yes-apple-seeds-and-cherry-pits-are-poisonous.htm](http://chemistry.about.com/b/2007/09/12/yes-apple-seeds-and-cherry-pits-are-poisonous.htm) There is my impartial evidence:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/26 "2011-05-27T20:25:37Z")
OK for fun I’ll do the math, I read 20 apple seeds will kill a mouse. An average mouse weighs 6 grams Let’s say an average man weighs 150 pounds or about 68 kilograms 68 kilograms is equal to 68,000 grams So if 20 seeds is lethal to a 6 gram mammal, we set up a ratio ## 20 seeds 6 grams ## x (number of seeds) 68000 grams 68,000 X 20 = 6X 1,360,000 = 6x 1,360,000/6 = x 226,666.67 = x So if you assume the amount of apple seeds that is lethal in a mouse would be the same number in a 150 pound man, you can see you’d need about a quarter of a million to kill you. But of course the lethality in an animal may be different from humans, but it shows it would take a LOT of seeds to kill you. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/27 "2011-05-27T21:32:03Z")
IIRC, there has been exactly one death from eating apple seeds. Some guy saved up all of the seeds from apples that he ate in a bowl, then one night he decided to eat all of the seeds in one sitting. It’s quite a bit less than a quarter million seeds, but it’s still an ungodly number of seeds to eat at once. Unless you are eating an entire bowl of seeds, there’s nothing to worry about. Your body can handle small amounts of cyanide without any harm to you. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/28 "2011-05-27T22:03:08Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > People calm down. It’s just apple juice we are talking about here:rolleyes: > > [http://www.juicing-for-health.com/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-their-seeds.html](http://www.juicing-for-health.com/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-their-seeds.html) > > [http://chemistry.about.com/b/2007/09/12/yes-apple-seeds-and-cherry-pits-are-poisonous.htm](http://chemistry.about.com/b/2007/09/12/yes-apple-seeds-and-cherry-pits-are-poisonous.htm) Actually, no it’s not apple juice we’re talking about here - it’s cyanide. Your first link it to someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. She uses “could” and “maybe” and clearly is making stuff up (earlier links have shown that the body quickly detoxifies apple seeds, that link suggests the toxins build up in the body). The second link simply confirms what everyone in this thread has agreed on - that apple seeds contain cyanide. Welcome to the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/29 "2011-05-27T22:10:29Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > People calm down. It’s just apple juice we are talking about here:rolleyes: No, it’s GQ we’re talking about here. A higher degree of rigor and correctness is aimed for here. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/30 "2011-05-27T22:14:02Z")
Technically, apple seeds contain amygdalin, which is a compound made of cyanide and sugar. When digested, it gets broken down into hydrogen cyanide, which the body can metabolize in small amounts. But that’s kinda picking nits and I really don’t think anyone is going to argue with the “apple seeds contain cyanide” statements in this thread. But this is GQ and picking nits is a bit of a hobby here. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/31 "2011-05-28T11:48:46Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > OK for fun I’ll do the math, > > I read 20 apple seeds will kill a mouse. An average mouse weighs 6 grams An adult laboratory mouse weighs 20 to 40 grams. [http://research.uiowa.edu/animal/?get=mouse](http://research.uiowa.edu/animal/?get=mouse) [http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatsMice.htm#TellApart](http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatsMice.htm#TellApart) [http://www.afrma.org/rminfo1.htm](http://www.afrma.org/rminfo1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/32 "2011-05-28T13:53:33Z")
> [@djc2323](#): > > “vitamin b17 and it is very important to our diets to eliminate the possibility of cancer”…where do you see cancer treatment…yes your intelligence runs deep Because I actually went and did the tiniest bit of half-assed research on the interwebs, and saw where there’d been failed clinical trials as a cancer treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/33 "2011-05-28T14:01:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Having been to a place in Watsonville that does this, you forgot 'strained", and from what I saw, the process would not get _too_ much stuff from the seeds. Some, certainly. > > In moderation, the Op’s process seems safe. I didn’t forget it. Straining is an integral part of the pressing process. In traditional methods, the apple pulp is packed in folded cloths between wooden racks, stacked and pressed. In large scale modern industrial processes, it’s done with meshes and screens, but in either case, it’s just part of pressing, or else the process is called ‘extruding apple pulp’ or something. Filtering the pressed juice to make it crystal clear is entirely optional. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/34 "2011-05-28T23:23:52Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I’d heartily advise against juicing bitter almonds, though. I never heard of bitter almonds. Where does one get bitter almonds? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/35 "2011-05-29T14:20:54Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > I never heard of bitter almonds. Where does one get bitter almonds? According to [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_almond#Sweet_and_bitter_almonds) at least, they are found on the same tree as regular almonds but are shaped differently. They also contain what’s technically known as a crapload of cyanogenic compounds. As in, eat a couple handfuls at once and it could kill you if you’re small or unlucky. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/36 "2011-05-29T16:52:23Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > According to [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_almond#Sweet_and_bitter_almonds) at least, they are found on the same tree as regular almonds but are shaped differently. Just to clarify: the wild almond tree bears bitter almonds. These yield the chemical benzaldehyde, which is the classic “almond” flavour (and is absent from sweet almonds, given rise to the oddity that almonds don’t actually taste of “almond”). Bitter almonds are used in food such as amaretto biscuits, amaretto alcohol and marzipan. It seems unlikely that you could unintentionally poison yourself with bitter almonds because they are intensely bitter. However I believe I have read that they can be made safe and eaten. I suppose it is not surprising that some sweet almond trees occasionally bear bitter almonds, but it is a bit misleading to say that the two types grow on the same tree. They are (normally) the fruit of different trees, just like sweet cherries and sour cherries. ---
**Author:** ![Cappysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Cappysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cappysdad)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/37 "2013-01-15T02:50:20Z")
Juicing of the seeds of apples. Heavens to betsy…thanks for all the responses. I’ve also just got a juicer and was wondering about the same thing. After reading all of the responses I have come to the conclusion that seeds should not be in the apple when juiced. I don’t buy the argument that the body can safely metabolize it. I know of no benefits of cyanide consumption so the seeds are gonna go. By the way, many of these things build up steadily in the body, so the fact that the seeds do not make you sick doesn’t mean they do not have an impact. I’ll be on the safe side. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/38 "2013-01-15T02:57:18Z")
> [@Cappysdad](#): > > I’ll be on the safe side. And you’ll be wrong, but since there’s no danger in removing the seeds, knock yourself out. ---
**Author:** ![petermichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b782af/32.png) [@petermichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/petermichael)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/39 "2013-09-21T18:39:40Z")
Exhibit 364 of education being trounced by common sense. You are all arguing about nothing. I guess no one looks in the waste bin of their juicer. If it is the most common variety, it spins. Most likely, all these killer seeds you guys are talking about are getting thrown out, and are not in your juicer… That’s right. Most, if not all of the seeds will be sitting, whole, in the waste bin and not in your juice. But I know the Web is full of a bunch of over concerned souls, so please do this. Take an apple, cut the seeds out and count them. Mash them up together in your hand and toss the lot into a clean juicer. Sort and count your seeds. Drink your juice. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374/40 "2013-09-21T19:05:12Z")
> [@petermichael](#): > > Exhibit 364 of education being trounced by common sense. Look in a mirror lately? (hint: check the post dates) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-juice-whole-apples-including-seeds/583374.md?page=3)