Previously, there is a news, said a friend chewed 5 cherry kernel, then produced dizziness and nausea and other symptoms of poisoning.

However, this news actually has a lot of doubt, first of all, the hardness of the cherry kernel must have tried, which will even bite open 5 cherry kernels, this person must be hungry to what extent? Secondly, even chewed 5 seeds, it is difficult to trigger poisoning symptoms ah!

But are there any toxic substances in cherry pits?

There is, and it's the potentially very toxic bitter amygdalin. However, this substance is also widely distributed in the seeds of almonds, apple seeds and other plants in the Rosaceae family. Hydrolysis of this bitter substance can produce cyanide, and cyanide poisoning can indeed trigger headaches, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms, and in severe cases can lead to respiratory distress and even death.

But dosage aside, toxicity is a tricky business. For an adult, 60 milligrams of hydrocyanic acid can kill, which is about the same as the hydrocyanic acid content of 20 to 40 bitter almonds.

It's important to note that the amount of amygdalin in a cherry kernel is much lower than in a bitter almond, and even if you chew five of them, it's very unlikely that you'll have a serious toxic reaction.

Secondly, the shell of the cherry kernel itself is a good coat to protect the seed. Even if the cherry kernel is swallowed, by virtue of this shell, the seed can be intact to see the light of day, and people with the peace of mind. Besides, cyanide-containing seeds have a bitter flavor, so don't force yourself to chew on something like that, even if you have great teeth.

Overall, the toxicity of cherry pits only manifests itself when you chew and swallow a sufficient amount of cherry pits. For normal people, the situation is simply unimaginable - just enjoy your sweet cherries with confidence.