Do Raw Apricot Kernels Help Against Cancer?

It is believed that apricot kernels are anti-cancer and help against cancer. Before succumbing to such a statement, you should know that these nuts are not harmless at all. Apricot kernels contain an ingredient that is converted to cyanide in our body, higher doses of which can be harmful. 

Apricot kernels are rich in fiber , about 5% of their weight, which classifies them as a group of nuts as a beneficial effect on intestinal health. Carbohydrates vary between 18 and 28%, proteins between 14 and 45%, and about a third of them are essential amino acids. Nuts have been valued since ancient times because of the oil that is extracted from them and has been used for various therapeutic purposes. The oil in the nuts varies between 28 and 67%.

The antioxidant properties of apricot kernels are explained by the presence of oleic acid and polyphenols . But not only. They are also rich in vitamin E , which is also a known powerful antioxidant. 

Scientists' attention to the "anti-cancer" properties of apricot kernels has so far focused on amygdalin. Research has commented on its effect on suppressing genes responsible for cancer proliferation. Interesting data show a study in which amygdalin is mixed with beta-D-glucosidase and gives a good effect in the treatment of liver cancer. 

Amygdalin is a substance that is found not only in apricot kernels, but also in apples, cherries, plums and peaches, as well as in clover, sorghum and lima beans (moon beans). 

This is a cyanogenic glycoside, which when absorbed by our body turns into cyanide , and when taken above the allowable minimum, headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, disorientation, confusion are experienced when in small quantities. Cyanide is dangerous because it causes circulatory problems and cardiac arrest, shortness of breath, coma and is fatal.

Even small amounts in the long run cause serious damage to health, especially on the cardiovascular and nervous systems. In this sense, the consumption of 50-60 raw apricot kernels can be dangerous and should not be more than 6-10 per day. 

Keep in mind that even three small raw apricot kernels or one large one can increase cyanide levels in the body and affect health, and even just one small one can have a toxic effect on a young child. 

According to the EFSA, no more than 20 micrograms of cyanide per kilogram of body weight should be consumed at any one time, which de facto allows the consumption of only one raw apricot kernel per adult.  

There are varieties of bitter apricots, whose nuts are especially rich in amygdalin - 5.5 g per 100 g. 

Laetrile is obtained from amygdalin by chemical reaction with water . Ernst T. Krebs Jr., a biochemist who developed it in injectable form in 1952, hoped to find a cure for cancer, but the product proved to be toxic. Its side effects are similar to cyanide poisoning. Its use in food and medicine is not considered safe. The FDA does not approve its use for use in any form, including skin lotion. There is no evidence of its usefulness in the treatment of diseases.

 
Leatril is referred to as vitamin B 17 , but it is not approved as such by health institutes. 

As for the calcium pangamate found in apricot kernels , also found as vitamin B 15 , it has been found since 1980 that it can cause genetic mutations and is 90% likely to cause rather than cure cancer. 

Medicine knows cases of poisoning of children after consumption of raw apricot kernels, which should not be ignored by parents.

In conclusion, with the consumption of raw apricot kernels should be careful . They should not be consumed by pregnant, lactating women and children, and in others it should be in the specified limited amount. While there are no data on the beneficial effects of laetrile and amygdalin against cancer, it is clear that both laetrile and calcium pangamate and amygdalin are toxic, and calcium pangamanate can lead to such.

One day, the benefits of substances in apricot kernels against cancer may be found, but there are none yet, on the contrary - we are talking about serious research. In the processing of apricot kernels, such as grinding, grating, soaking, fermentation and drying, the amygdalin content may decrease but not be completely eliminated. For now, medicine does not recommend the use of raw apricot kernels in any form.