How to Eat Apricot Seeds

Co-authored by Kyle Hall Reviewed by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: August 7, 2024 Fact Checked

Apricot seeds, also known as apricot kernels, are found inside the hard pit at the center of apricots. Apricot seeds contain a compound called amygdalin, which releases cyanide after it's consumed. If you're going to eat apricot seeds, make sure you're not eating more than the recommended daily amount or you could get cyanide poisoning.^{[1]
X
Research source}

Safely Eating Apricot Seeds

Do not eat more than 3 apricot seeds per day, as this can increase your risk of developing cyanide poisoning. To remove the seed from an apricot, slice the fruit along its seam and pull the 2 halves apart. Use a nutcracker to crack open the pit and remove the seed.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Consuming Apricot Seeds Safely

Download Article

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), adults that eat more than 3 small apricot seeds a day are at risk of developing cyanide poisoning. If you're going to eat apricot seeds, carefully count the number of seeds you're consuming so you don't accidentally eat more than 3.^{[2]
X
Research source}
The safest way to avoid cyanide poisoning in toddlers is to avoid feeding them apricot seeds altogether. If you do decide to feed a toddler apricot seeds, cut one seed in half and limit their daily intake to half of one seed.^{[3]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include nausea, headaches, insomnia, thirst, nervousness, body pain, fever, and low blood pressure. If you experience any of these symptoms after eating apricot seeds, stop eating the seeds and contact your doctor.^{[4]
X
Trustworthy Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

Go to source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Removing Apricot Seeds from an Apricot

Download Article

Don't cut all the way through the apricot. Once you hit the pit in the center of the apricot with the knife, stop cutting.^{[5]
X
Research source}
You need to use your hands to split the apricot in half since you can't cut through the pit in the center with a knife.^{[6]
X
Research source}
3
Remove the pit from the middle of the apricot. The pit is the hard brown part in the center of the apricot. The apricot seed is inside of the pit.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Once you've taken out the pit, slice up the rest of the apricot if you want a snack. The actual fruit part of the apricot doesn't contain amygdalin and it won't cause cyanide poisoning if you eat it.
Place the apricot pit at the end of the nutcracker and squeeze the handles together to crack it open. Once you've cracked the pit open, dispose of the broken pieces and remove the apricot seed. There should be 1 apricot seed inside of the pit.
If you're feeding the apricot seed to a toddler, cut the seed in half with a knife and don't give them more than half a seed per day. Eating more seeds than this can lead to cyanide poisoning.^{[8]
X
Research source}