Apricot Kernels

The health benefits and anti cancer effects of apricot kernels were mentioned in another thread.

This was lifted from Wikepedia...someone cleverer than me might like to do the maths!

apricot kernel is the seed of an apricot.

It is known for containing amygdalin, a compound which, together with the similar compound laetrile, has been marketed as a cancer treatment with some clinical evidence for its efficacy. [1]

Seeds or kernels of the apricot grown in central Asia and around the Mediterranean are so sweet that they may be substituted for almonds. The Italian liqueur amaretto and amaretti biscotti are flavored with extract of apricot kernels as well as almonds. Oil pressed from these cultivars has been used as cooking oil.[citation needed]

Apricot kernels can sometimes be strong-tasting and bitter. They feature in recipes for apricot jam, and Italian amaretto cookies and liqueur.[citation needed]

Taken in excess, they may produce symptoms of cyanide poisoning, including nausea, fever, rash, headaches, insomnia, increased thirst, weakness, lethargy, nervousness, various aches and pains in joints and muscles, and a drop in blood pressure.

In 1993, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets tested the cyanide content of two 220 gram (8 oz) packages of bitter apricot kernels imported from Pakistan that were being sold in health-food stores as a snack. The results showed that each package, if consumed entirely, contained at least double the minimum lethal dosage of cyanide for an adult human. The apricot pits were recalled and removed from stores.[2] There was one reported case in the medical literature of cyanide toxicity from apricot kernels from 1979 to 1998 in the United States.[3] On average, bitter apricot kernels contain about 5% amygdalin and sweet kernels about 0.9% amygdalin.[4] These values correspond to 0.3% and 0.05% of cyanide. Since a typical apricot kernel weighs 600 mg, bitter and sweet varieties contain respectively 1.8 and 0.3 mg of cyanide.

Re: Apricot Kernels

Ive been taking Apricot kernel capsules for a little while now Ruthio,I have one first thing in the morning and one every evening ,sometimes I have one at lunchtime also. They are 500mg organic capsules. Ive had no side effects from them at all

Re: Apricot Kernels

So...3 of these in a day would be 1,500mgs. Is that right?
How does that fit with the info given above about the toxic dangers of cyanide?
I can't figure it out...

Re: Apricot Kernels

Oh joy, a thread on Apricot Kernels !

This means we will get the usual arguments for and against, those instituted (indoctrinated?) in the medical profession will trot out the party line handed down from higher echelons and the poor innocent sincere searcher for the truth will be left as bewildered as ever. Such is the world we live in.

Why is it that our valiant leaders are soooooo concerned about apricot kernels. We have loads of foods containing cyanide compounds (cyanogenic glycosides). Do we get warnings about:

almonds, tapioca, millet sprouts, lima beans, soy, spinach, bamboo shoots, cassava roots or apple seeds?

Nope, no controversy there. Our ruling elite are not pulling apples from supermarket shelves, nor bags of spinach yet these things all contain levels of cyanide compounds.

Nutmeg contains myristicine, which is psychoactive. Eat too much and it will cause vomiting, sweating, dizziness, hallucinations and headache. Hmmm I don't remember reading that on the label.

Kidney beans contain the toxin phytohaemagglutinin, which will make you extremely ill and in some rare cases has killed.
Hmmm, pretty sure I can still buy a can of these lethal beans from Tesco !

Cherries, peaches, pears, plums and prunes, again all contain cyanogenic compounds.

So what is going on here?

Control, censorship and taking away your right of access to what is potentially a great cure.

Here's the bottom line. ALL of the above foods are dangerous, possibly fatally. It depends on how much of the food you ingest in a given period. The thing is, we tend to use our common sense. We don't for example sit and much our way through 20-30 apples in one sitting. If we did we might well expect to feel some ill effects. We know we should cook kidney beans before eating them otherwise we will be very ill. We know to avoid the leaves of rhubarb.

So why are our governments so strangely obsessed with apricot kernels and why have they taken measures to get them out of shops in the USA and generally prevent people getting access to them? It should be obvious.
It has nothing to do with toxicity and dangerous foods. It has everything to do with Big Pharma and their desire to control us and make us dependent on their drugs and treatments. Treatments, in the case of cancer, which have a very poor success rate.

Natural remedies don't "fly" because they can't make mega-money from them. Garlic for example is hugely beneficial to health but Big Pharma can't make money from something that anyone can freely grow. So natural remedies are poo-pooed. Your average Big Pharma paracetamol tablet contains just ONE active ingredient. There are over 300 active ingredients in garlic, all working harmoniously together as Nature crafted. Science still only understands a handful of them.

The internet is littered with mis-information about apricot kernels. There are scare stories galore out there suggesting you will die if you eat them. The mere mention of the word "cyanide" is enough to scare the weak-minded away without further research, yet those same people probably have no idea about arsenic in apples.

It is a total mine-field and the most rational person will be left in a quandry despite hours of Googling. In the end, this is one of those things you have to do for yourself.

Some facts:

The estimate lethal dose of cyandide is 50-200mg.

An average bitter apricot kernel has about 1.8mg.

The cyanide in one kernel is EASILY managed by your body in the same way that it manages other fruits and foods. But like EVERY OTHER FOOD, if you eat too much you can make yourself ill.

The above figures tell you quickly that a lethal dose of kernels is in the range of 27 - 111.

So knowing this one can easily manage one's consumption without danger just as you can eat kidney beans without danger knowing you must cook them.

If the goverments were honestly just informing us of the potential dangers they would simply tell us the max number that you should eat in a day, your basic RDA. But they are not. They have abused their powers and seen to it that kernels are taken from shop shelves and that retailers can not stock them. That tells you everything you need to know about the effectiveness of kernels. "They" clearly do not want us healing ourselves naturally.

So what can you do?

If you do have cancer, then imo, you would be utterly stupid not to put a lot of research into apricot kernels. Also, given that they are totally harmless in small quantities you have NOTHING to lose by trying them, as long as you stay within safe limits just like any other food, but of course you have EVERYTHING to gain if the claims have any shred of truth.

If you live in the USA you have my sympathy. Your freedoms have long since been taken away and you live in controlled existence run by corrupt corporations, officials and goverments. You must do what you can to fight back and regain your freedom. Elsewhere, for now at least, you can probably get hold of bitter apricot kernels over the internet. Check any retailer carefully and do plenty of research.

If you are a Christian and you believe the Bible then this is one area that will test your faith because in the Bible God says:

Genesis 1:29
"Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food."

Either God is true or he is not. It would be a cruel and vindictive, perhaps evil God that said this and then created a seed that would kill you.

Research research research

Final note. I have eaten apricot kernels myself. I was curious, I was certainly apprehensive before I took them, but I had faith. Faith in my scepticism of controlling goverments and ruling elite. I have eaten 10 in one day, never more than 5 in any hour. All is well.

Re: Apricot Kernels

Personally I would be quite cynical about anything in capsule form when the "real thing" is readily available. Garlic for example is readily available. The taste and smell are indicators to you that the magic compound allicin is present and doing its thing. A garlic capsule on the other hand typically doesn't smell or taste like garlic. You therefore have to be quite sceptical about the capsule. It is clearly missing those vital compounds and active ingredients and is most likely just another Big Pharma money making scam in many cases.

Imo, get yourself some real apricot kernels. The bitter taste tells you that the cyanogenic compound is present.

Re: Apricot Kernels

Nope.

Each kernel is (allegedly) about 1.8mg of cyanide.

The lethal dose is (allegedly) 50-200mg.

50/1.8 = 27

3 apricot kernels are harmless to adults. Children, a different matter.

Re: Apricot Kernels

Thanks for that Realist, you make the figures much clearer.

(BTW my 1,500mgs was the estimated amount of kernel in Aysa's 3 capsules, not the amount of cyanide!!)

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What about Bananas? Nobody has mentioned Bananas.
I love Bananas. Have them on toast, make a sandwich with them and honey. Yummy yummy.
Make smoothly with milk and banana.
I think I will go have a banana now.

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Well, beware of the Potassium, especially if you have any kidney problems

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Supposed to be good for highBP.