Can you eat watermelon with bones? Useful properties and harm of watermelon seeds. Edible and non-edible fruit seeds

Fragrant, ripe, juicy apricot pulp is one of the favorite delicacies of adults and children. Having tasted the fruit, most often, a person throws out the core, but in vain. Can you eat apricot pits? It is possible, because the core, which is hidden behind a dense shell, contains a lot of useful substances for the body. It is believed that when used properly, they can have a healing effect. The main thing is to use apricot seeds correctly and not neglect contraindications.

What is in apricot kernels

Apricot pits, whose health benefits were discovered by Chinese healers, taste quite pleasant. The unique properties of the nuclei are used in the treatment of joints and various skin diseases. Also very often they are used in cosmetology.

The composition of the bones includes the following substances:

Proteins, fats and carbohydrates;

Iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium;

Pigments of natural origin and essential oils;

Groups of vitamins A, C, B, PP;

Hydrocyanic acid.

Apricot kernels: the harm of eating kernels

After the scientists conducted research and studied in detail the effect of each substance of the composition on the body, they came to an unpleasant conclusion. Of course, it is not forbidden to eat apricot pits. Harm to a person will be visible only if they overeat.

When it enters the body, the substance amygdalin begins to be released from the nuclei, which is a source of hydrocyanic acid. With an excess of it, severe poisoning can occur.

However, there is another method on how to safely consume apricot pits. Harm to the body will be excluded if you first dry the kernels in the oven.

The allowable daily allowance of fresh apricot seeds is 40 grams. It is important that the seeds are not old, as the content of toxic elements in them is higher.

Contraindications and symptoms of poisoning

Apricot kernels can cause harm if used in the following cases:

With diabetes;

When overeating during pregnancy and lactation;

With violations of the thyroid gland;

With liver diseases.

During pregnancy and while carrying a child, the kernels are not prohibited, but they should be consumed no more than 20 grams per day. Small children can be given seeds in the same amount, if an allergic reaction has not been noted.

If a person consumes more than 40 grams of apricot seeds per day, this can cause poisoning. The first signs manifest themselves in different ways. For some, after 20 minutes, for others, after 5-6 hours.

Symptoms of poisoning:

Great weakness and lethargy;

Sharp pains in the stomach, bouts of nausea;

Migraine;

breathing problems;

In acute cases, fainting and even convulsions are possible.

If one of these symptoms appears, you must immediately drink activated charcoal (at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight) and visit a doctor to avoid further unpleasant side effects.

Apricot kernels: benefits for the body

Apricot kernels are characterized by a truly extraordinary composition. It has been proven that if you learn how to eat them correctly and not abuse them, then your immunity will be significantly strengthened.

How do apricot pits affect the body? The benefits of the product are as follows:

Stimulate the work of the heart muscle;

Destroy oncological neoplasms;

Promote cell rejuvenation;

Cope with the problem of constipation and hemorrhoids;

Improve intestinal motility, restore microflora;

Strengthen immunity.

It also contains a substance called tocopherol. Thanks to it, premature aging of the human body is prevented, the process of skin aging is frozen. Acids of natural origin also have a beneficial effect. They act on the epidermis, thereby improving the appearance and condition of nails and hair.

Apricot kernels, the benefits of which are invaluable, are recommended to every person in an acceptable amount. Particular attention should be paid to their use during the fruit ripening period - in summer. It is enough to dry them in the oven for 5 minutes to enjoy a bitter delicacy. If desired, the bones are added to various pies and other pastries. It is not recommended to use dried bones from the last season as food, as the concentration of harmful substances in them is increased.

Apricot kernels: medicinal properties

Is it possible to eat apricot pits now it has become clearer. It remains only to make out in what form they exhibit maximum healing properties.

1. Water infusions prepared with apricot kernels are often used to relieve coughs or asthma. Also recommended for use by people who have heart problems.

2. Apricot kernel oil is widely used in medicine and cosmetology.

Ways to use fragrant apricot kernel oil

1. Due to the fact that it is characterized by antimutagenic properties, helps to restore vascular elasticity and prevents the risk of heart failure.

2. Used for constipation, removes excess toxins and toxins from the body, while not damaging the intestinal microflora.

3. It is used to treat gastritis (any form) and stomach ulcers.

4. Used to prevent hemorrhoids.

5. It is used in cosmetology due to its rich vitamin composition. Often, apricot kernel oil can be seen among the components of shampoos, facial gels, and creams.

Fresh apricot kernel oil has a positive effect on the body, prevents the aging process, and retains skin elasticity and youth for a long time.

Apricot kernels calories

Is it possible to eat apricot pits and do they negatively affect the figure? In fact, the energy value of the product is impressive. There are 510 kcal per 100 grams of raw kernels.

Due to the high calorie content of the kernel, it is not recommended for people who follow a strict diet or are obese. In other cases, their use is not contraindicated. The bones can be eaten both raw and fried or dried.

Sweetish grains with a slight aftertaste of sweetness are very fond of culinary specialists. For example, if you add them to apricot jam, it will acquire a special piquancy. The cores go well with oatmeal, cottage cheese or natural yoghurts. In some dishes, apricot pits are an excellent substitute for almonds, which are quite expensive.

The question of whether it is possible to eat apricot pits will no longer bother. There are very few contraindications to the use of nucleoli. The most important thing is to eat them with caution and not exceed the allowable daily allowance in order to avoid poisoning the body. If the seeds are left over from last season, it is better to use them not in cooking, but as ingredients for making homemade masks or creams.

The call of zealous owners "Waste - into income!" does not always work, but not in the case of apricot pits. What we all ruthlessly throw away after enjoying the taste and aroma of the pulp of apricots, it turns out, should not be thrown away in any case. It's just stupid to throw away a lot of vitamins, minerals, valuable acids, coupled with a nutritious product with exquisite culinary properties.

Of course, many have heard that apricot pits are delicious and somewhat similar to this. But at the same time there is a strong opinion about their toxicity. Moreover, they are allegedly poisonous to such an extent that their use is fraught with death.

Therefore, the vast majority of apricot lovers prefer to throw away the seeds "away from sin."
In fact, apricot pits are not only possible, but also necessary to eat, while observing simple rules, which will be discussed later.

Did you know? For the first time in a cultural form, the apricot appeared, apparently, about three thousand years ago on the territory of modern Armenia or, according to another version, somewhere in the Tien Shan. More precisely, scientists today are not able to say.

Composition analysis

When you get acquainted with the huge taste, culinary, healing, cosmetic potential of this product, it becomes somehow uncomfortable at the thought that all this wealth most often ends up in the trash.

The kernels of the bones contain a whole bunch of vitamins, some of which are very rare. In addition to the common, and extensive, there are also more rare and.
But special attention is drawn to the specific inherent in this particular product, which is also called amygdalin. It is he who gives apricot kernels a characteristic bitter taste.

This product is saturated with microelements in the form, and.

Calorie content and nutritional value

The high content of fats and carbohydrates in the product predetermines its high calorie content and, accordingly, nutritional value. 100 g of apricot kernels contain more than 500 kcal. The experience of the inhabitants of the East shows that eating several nucleoli saturates the body with calories, as well as useful substances, so much that this is enough for several hours of human activity.

The unique and peculiarly balanced composition of the product allows it to really participate in the fight against inflammatory processes in the human immune and respiratory systems.
This is facilitated by its pronounced mucolytic capabilities, which help to actively thin the sputum and remove it from the body.

The ability of the product to counteract cramps and even eliminate hiccups has been recorded.

That insidious hydrocyanic acid, which makes so many people beware of eating the delicious core of apricot pits, is indeed present in them. However, it can bring truly fatal harm only with excessive consumption of the product - more than 40 g at a time.
Amygdalin, that is, vitamin B17, when it enters the body, releases this toxic hydrocyanic acid. There is more of it in the nucleolus, the bitterer it tastes.

Important! Drying the bones in the oven or boiling in a saucepan almost completely eliminates toxic substances in them, which decompose at high temperatures.

Since apricots are quite strong allergens, naturally, the contents of their seeds are contraindicated for people in whom this fruit causes allergic reactions.

Features of the use of apricot kernels

This product is not limited only by its taste, nutritional and medicinal properties. It is used, and especially the oil from it, and in cosmetics. That is, each of the consumers, depending on age, gender and state of health, is free to choose from this product the most preferable of its many possible qualities.

Traditional healers especially advise remedies with the addition of apricot kernels when eliminating problems in the human respiratory system.
To combat colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, laryngitis And tracheitis it is recommended to add 10 g of wild rosemary and knotweed to 20 g of nucleoli. All this is finely crushed, pour 200 ml of boiling water, leave for half an hour and strain with a fine sieve. The infusion should be taken 50 ml three times a day.

For the treatment of colds, elimination of spasms And fight against conjunctivitis you need 10 g of heavily crushed nucleoli, pour 100 ml of boiling water and leave for four hours. After straining, the agent should be used orally three times a day, 50 ml each. In the treatment of conjunctivitis, the solution is applied externally to the eyes using swabs soaked in it.

Will they help you lose weight?

High saturation with fats and carbohydrates and high calorie content make this product undesirable for overweight people.

But the contents of apricot nucleoli are extremely in demand by cosmetologists. They appreciated their unique composition, widely using the beneficial properties in the compositions of various creams and ointments to improve and rejuvenate the skin, as well as to keep the hair in good condition.

Actually, not the nucleoli themselves are used for this, but the oil extracted from them by cold pressing.

For face

apricot oil very useful for the skin of the face and in its pure form, however, it can also be used to make highly effective products for moisturizing, toning and rejuvenating the skin.

Purifying mask

A tablespoon of oatmeal ground in a coffee grinder is poured with two tablespoons of milk for five minutes, after which a teaspoon of apricot oil and the same amount of honey are added there.

Moisturizing mask

One small spoonful of oil must be added to a well-pounded egg yolk, mix the mixture thoroughly and apply it on the face along the massage lines for half an hour.

Moisturizing tonic

In 100 ml of mineral water without gas, add two teaspoons of oil and a spoonful of glycerin. This mixture is recommended to wipe the face in the morning and evening.

For hair

This oil is very suitable for maintaining healthy hair. It effectively nourishes the roots, makes hair shiny and silky. When washing them, the oil can simply be added to the shampoo.

Mask for dry hair

It is enough to add a few drops of lavender oil to a spoonful of oil, and then apply this mixture to your hair for half an hour before washing your hair.

Did you know? The apricot tree grows for a long time, bears fruit for almost forty years in a row and lives up to a hundred years.

Oily hair mask

Mix a tablespoon of butter and the same amount of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey.

Classic night mask

Heat the oil and rub it into the scalp, while massaging it. Then lightly oil the strands of hair, then collect the hair and cover the head with a towel.

Features of the choice and storage of the product, can apricot kernels go bad

When choosing bones, you should pay attention to their appearance and especially to the contents. They should not have traces of pests in the form of food moths. They should not be obtained from unripe fruits either, since in this case the nucleoli are shriveled and unsuitable for consumption.

You can store the pre-dried product both in the shell and in the cleaned form. The kernels are better stored in a thin shell in which they are located and which can be removed before use.

If apricot kernels were poured in a thick layer during drying, they can begin to mold, which irrevocably leads to their loss of consumer qualities. The seeds of unripe fruits can also completely deteriorate.

There are much more toxic substances in such a product than in fresh.

Harvesting the internal contents of ripe apricots is simple and unpretentious. Dividing these already ripened fruits in two, we take out the seeds from them and put them in a suitable container. Then wash thoroughly, removing the remaining fruit fibers from their surface, lay out on a tray or baking sheet in a single layer and leave to dry somewhere.
It is best to do this outdoors, but not in direct sunlight. They should be stored in glass or wooden containers without access to pests.

You can get the nucleoli from the bones and store them already. Some immediately roast them in the oven to eliminate toxic substances.

The unique taste and smell of apricot kernels have long attracted the attention of culinary specialists, who use them very widely and actively as additives to ice cream, creams, yogurts, cakes, syrups and pastries.

Chopped nucleoli have proven themselves especially well in housewives when cooking jam or jam. When these ingredients are added, the products acquire a very piquant taste and smell, which, according to the housewives, simply cannot be compared with anything.
This, indeed, potentially toxic product, subject to basic precautions, turns into a truly unique tool for cooking, cosmetology and medicine in terms of its useful qualities.

We tend to see health benefits in the most unexpected things. As a child, I was sure that nettle burns were good for blood vessels, and my friends on the Black Sea diligently smeared themselves with jellyfish washed ashore, claiming that it was good for the skin. The most popular idea of ​​this kind is the benefits of fruit seeds.

Many people believe that fruit pits and seeds contain valuable substances - it is not for nothing that cosmetologists value so much apricot and peach kernel oils, and nutritionists extol the wonderful properties of grape seed oil. Of course, few dare to eat a whole peach, but often, for reasons of benefit, for example, they make jam without removing seeds from fruits and berries.

It turns out that the benefits of fruit seeds are a moot point. Firstly, the kernels of many plants of the plum genus contain a substance hazardous to health: “The kernels of the seeds of apricots, peaches, apples, cherries contain amygdalin glycoside, which is cleaved in the stomach with the release of hydrocyanic acid, which is a poison,” explains Irina Russ, nutritionist, endocrinologist at the European Medical Center. Amygdalin is what gives apple seeds their bitter taste. Of course, the concentration of toxic substances in them is very small, but this fact should not be neglected. “At the same time, apple seeds are a source of many vitamins, minerals, and most importantly, iodine,” says Irina Russ, “however, you can eat them no more than five or six pieces a day.”

The situation is also contradictory with other bones.

Grapes and pomegranate

“The seeds of pomegranate and grapes, if they are not chewed, are not digested in the gastrointestinal tract, but they can increase peristalsis, acting like fiber,” says Irina Russ. In addition, the grape seed contains a lot of vitamins and plant phenolic compounds - very strong antioxidants. True, if you just chew the bones, these substances will not be absorbed very well - it is much more useful to make tinctures. Pomegranate kernels are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E.

However, you can eat these seeds only if you do not have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, otherwise they can cause an exacerbation. In addition, take care of tooth enamel: hard bones are also not useful for it.

Cherry

Swallowing a cherry pit is probably only by accident: it is unlikely that anyone will intentionally eat something absolutely inedible. However, if this happens, you should not panic: despite the content of hydrocyanic acid, in a small amount the bones are not dangerous.

It is also possible to cook cherry jam without removing the bones: under the influence of high temperatures, amygdalin is destroyed. For the same reason, one should not be afraid to make clafoutis with cherries and cherries the way the French do it, without removing the core.

Peach

Peach kernels are difficult to come by, and if you manage to do so, you will find that they are completely tasteless. Due to the high content of amygdalin, they are bitter, so there is really no need to eat them. Another thing is peach kernel oil. It is rich in omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and since amygdalin is water-soluble but not fat-soluble, hydrocyanic acid is not present in the oil and can be added to salad dressings.

Apricot

The most edible bone is insidious: in addition to polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals and vitamins, it also contains the notorious hydrocyanic acid. Eating more than ten delicious nucleoli is not worth it.

But heat treatment makes apricot kernels completely harmless, which is why they are so often used in the cuisine of the Transcaucasus and the Middle East: it is enough to ignite the kernels in the oven and you can mix them with honey and dried apricots or eat them just like that. Yes, and Europeans have found a way to use apricot pits: bitter nucleoli are used to flavor jams and sweets (two or three nucleoli are enough) or to make Italian amaretti biscuits.

Hello dear friends!
If you have ever tried royal apricot jam, then you know how tender the kernels of the seeds of these fruits are. Too bad it's so hard to get them out of the shell! However, it’s definitely worth asking your husband to tinker with pliers, because apricot pits have a lot of benefits, not only nutritious, but also medicinal. In this article I want to talk about all the good that is hidden behind a strong shell. I will not forget to warn anyone who does not like such a delicacy.

What is the content of this product?

• There are proteins (3 g per 100 g of product), fats (45 g) and carbohydrates (25 g).
• Rare but important nutrients: tocopherols; phospholipids; unsaturated and saturated acids, including hydrocyanic; essential oils; amygdalin; natural pigments.
• There are also vitamins here: A, B, PP, C, F.
• And of course, what a gift of nature without minerals! The core of the bone contains iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

NB! The calorie content of this delicacy is very high - 510 kcal per 100 g of kernels.

General information about the benefits of bones

NB! You can use raw (just mined), as well as dried or fried nucleoli for food.

Product harm: is it?

I have already said that among the properties of apricot kernels is the content of hydrocyanic acid. In small doses, it is not harmful to the body - if a person is healthy, his body can easily cope with this substance. But if the acid enters the body in large quantities, it can even end in poisoning.

But nature has already taken care that this does not happen. She "marked" the bones with taste! Yes, scientists assure: the sweeter the nucleolus, the less hydrocyanic acid it contains. And vice versa, if it is bitter, and even with a strong aroma of almonds, it is better not to eat it - it is from a large amount of such a product in the body that hydrocyanic acid poisoning can occur.

And by the way! Having read about this acid, many refuse to cook compotes from apricots (as well as other fruits - cherries, plums) with stones, or the same royal jam ... And in vain, since heat treatment neutralizes the blue! The same method (boiling or roasting) will help if you have harvested apricots, and all the bones in them are bitter.

NB! What does a dangerous dose for a person look like, after which poisoning can begin? From 40 g of bitter, raw (or forgotten in the closet for several years), unprocessed seeds.

Symptoms of hydrocyanic acid poisoning:

• impotence, lethargy,
• pain in the abdomen (more specifically, in the stomach),
• very severe headache
• nausea, vomiting spasms,
• intermittent breathing.

A few words about vitamin B17

The amygdalin contained in this product breaks down into hydrocyanic acid and other substances. I have already said that this acid is harmful... But! Many traditional healers and scientists are sure that in the case of cancer cells, this substance acts like a medicine, killing dangerous neoplasms in your body. This amygdalin is called vitamin B17. So even bitter apricot seeds are beneficial - if you know how and to whom to use them.

It is believed that by regularly eating apricot kernels (as well as apple seeds, plum, peach, cherry kernels, plus bitter almonds), some people managed to overcome cancer. B17 is also present in some other products: millet, flax seeds, corn.

Why don't they distribute these bones in buckets in oncology dispensaries? There is a popular, cynical, but logical answer to this: such a cheap cure for cancer is unprofitable for official medicine. Anyone who has experienced this disease knows how much medicines and operations cost. And then suddenly some bones ... However, there are several doctors who actively advocate for this product, have been researching it for many years - and are very pleased with the results.

NB! Do you want to carry out such “chemotherapy” at home? The preventive norm is 3-5 nucleoli per day. If you eat them in handfuls, they will not only destroy diseased cells, but also harm healthy ones.

In what areas of human life are apricot pits used?

• Medicine. But the treatment with these bones does not end with vitamin B17 alone. For example, the cores are poured with boiling water over the peeled kernels and drunk like tea. This drink also helps with bronchitis.
• Cosmetology. Picking up a few hair products or skin creams, you can find apricot kernel oil in their composition. Most often, it is added to dandruff shampoos, as well as scrubs (the crushed shells themselves are also added to the latter). And in spas, apricot oil is used for massage - after the procedure, the skin literally comes to life.
• cooking. At home, you can add the seeds to a sweet salad or jam. However, this product is also relevant in mass production. It can be found in caramel and candies, waffle fillings, icing for cakes and cakes, as well as ice cream, yogurt or buttercream.

NB! Depending on the plant variety, the nutritious kernels can be especially large, while differing in a pleasant taste. They are sometimes replaced with almonds - fortunately, these products are very similar in appearance (up to the bitter peel, which can be removed by pouring the "nut" with hot water), and to taste too.

For whom is the product not suitable?

Since apricot pits have both beneficial properties and contraindications, they are forbidden to some people. Namely:

• in liver diseases (both acute and chronic),
• with diseases of the thyroid gland,
• if you have diabetes
• if you are pregnant.

In general, like any product, apricot pits are good and bad for our body. The only question is how many of them there are, and whether to do it wisely or not. For me personally, many of the properties of the product have become a discovery, so I’m even going to buy homemade dried apricots with seeds from my grandmothers out of season in order to enrich my diet with these nucleoli from time to time. Who knows, maybe they will really quietly kill cancer cells in the body, and I will not have to face this dangerous disease?