Apricot kernel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some information in this article or section is not attributed to sources and may not be reliable.
Please check for inaccuracies, and modify and cite sources as needed.

Apricot kernels are, like most nuts and seeds, very nutritious.^{[citation needed]} Among the compounds they contain is amygdalin, which is sometimes called "vitamin B17", but is not regarded by the scientific community as a vitamin since it does not meet the widely accepted scientific definition of a vitamin – it has not been proven to be essential to achieving or maintaining good health.^[1] Amygdalin was once thought to help prevent cancer by attacking cancer cells, but clinical studies related to laetrile, as discussed in the Amygdalin article, were unsuccessful. A review of the clinical evidence was published in 2006 with the conclusion "Therefore, the claim that laetrile has beneficial effects for cancer patients is not supported by sound clinical data."^[2]

Amygdalin is contained in hundreds of foods, but ones that are particularly rich in amygdalin have disappeared to a large extent from Western diet. Peoples throughout the world who still eat a traditional diet have been found to be largely free from cancer.^{[citation needed]} These diets are rich in foods containing amygdalin.^{[citation needed]}

Apricot kernels are bitter and are known in culinary contexts as bitter almonds or apricot almonds. They feature in recipes for apricot jam and Italian amaretto cookies and liqueur.^{[citation needed]}

Among materia medica, apricot kernels feature less in European traditions than in the Far East, where they are used to produce medications for respiratory problems.^{[citation needed]}

Taken in excess, they may produce nausea, fever, rash, hive nose, headaches, insomnia, increased thirst, weakness, lethargy, nervousness, various aches and pains in joints and muscles, a drop in blood pressure. A clinical trial of Laetrile (amygdalin) carried out in 1982 by the Mayo Clinic and three other U.S. cancer centers under National Cancer Institute sponsorship, found among other things that several patients suffered from cyanide poisoning.^[3]

Apricot seeds

[edit] Nutritional content

Oil from apricot kernels contains, per 100 grams:

Calories: 883
- Calories from Fat: 100%
Total fat: 100 g
- Saturated fat: 6.3 g
- Monounsaturated fat: 60 g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 29.3 g
- Total fat: 100 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Vitamins
- Vitamin A: 0
- Vitamin C: 0
- Vitamin E: 4 mg (13% DV)
- Vitamin K: 0
- Vitamin B6: 0
- Vitamin B12: 0
Minerals (Calcium, Iron, etc): 0