The Truth About Apple Seeds, Cyanide, and Cancer: Separating Myth from Danger

A persistent and dangerous claim circulates online and through social media: that apple seeds are a natural cancer treatment because they contain cyanide. A typical version states, “Apple seeds contain cyanide that kills cancer cells. But eating 7+ seeds can poison you. The line between medicine and death is 4 seeds.”

This statement is a harmful oversimplification that mixes a grain of biological truth with grossly inaccurate and potentially lethal advice. Let’s clarify the science and the very real risks.

The Science: What’s Actually in Apple Seeds?

Apple seeds (along with the seeds of apricots, cherries, peaches, and plums) contain a compound called amygdalin. Amygdalin itself is not cyanide. However, when amygdalin is metabolized by the body—or more specifically, when the seed is chewed or crushed—it can release hydrogen cyanide, a potent and fast-acting toxin.

The key points:

· Intact seeds are less risky: Swallowing a few apple seeds whole likely poses no danger, as they may pass through your system undigested.
· Crushing is the concern: The danger increases if the seeds are chewed, crushed, or processed, as this releases the amygdalin.

Debunking the “Medicine vs. Poison” Myth

The viral claim gets several critical things wrong:

1. The Dosage is Wildly Inaccurate: The idea that 4 seeds are “medicine” and 7 seeds are “poison” is not based on any credible science. The toxic dose of cyanide depends on body weight. According to scientific estimates, the acute lethal dose of cyanide is approximately 0.5 to 3.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
· A single gram of crushed apple seeds may release up to 0.06–0.24 mg of cyanide.
· An adult weighing 70 kg (154 lbs) would need to ingest anywhere from **several hundred to over