Eating an apple daily truly contributes to maintaining good health. Apples offer numerous health advantages, and consuming them with the peel is ideal. The peel is rich in fiber (via Eat This, Not That). Discarding the apple skin results in losing 30% of the vitamin C, half of the fiber, over 300% more vitamin K, and approximately 70% of vitamin A, in addition to 30% of potassium and calcium. Moreover, apple skin contains pectin, a prebiotic fiber beneficial for gut health.
But what about the apple core? You probably discard it because it’s a habit you learned as a child. You might have heard that the seeds in an apple, located at its center, are toxic. According to the University of Illinois Extension, apples have five seed pockets, each containing seeds. The number of seeds varies according to the apple’s health and variety. So, should you eat the apple core? Could it be harmful?
The average whole apple won’t harm you
Apple seeds contain amygdalin, a plant compound that can be toxic. When chewed or crushed, amygdalin converts into hydrogen cyanide — a poisonous gas (via the University of Leeds). While cyanide poisoning is often depicted in mystery novels, what does consuming apple cores really do? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “The extent of poisoning caused by cyanide depends on the amount of cyanide a person is exposed to, the route of exposure, and the length of time that a person is exposed.” But is there enough cyanide in an apple to cause harm?
A 2019 study published in Frontiers in Microbiology revealed that apples offer more nutritional benefits than just antioxidants and fiber. Apples contain beneficial bacteria that promote gut health, most of which are found in the core, seeds, and stem. A single apple typically contains about 100 million bacterial cells, but if you avoid the core, you consume only about 10 million bacterial cells. The study also noted that organic apples contain better bacteria than conventional ones.
It seems that eating the whole apple might not be a bad idea. But what about the seeds? There’s no need for concern. Although apple seeds can be toxic, consuming at least 150 seeds by chewing and swallowing is necessary for them to be lethal. An average apple contains about five to eight seeds. Swallowing such a small number without chewing is harmless (via Britannica).
