The posts created within this blog are my opinions or those of other proponents of apricot kernels and their use therapeutically. Though I endeavor to write nothing that isn't factual, I am not a scientist nor am I doctor. My writings are based on many years of experience, observation and research, and the conclusions drawn are my own. I want to stress the importance of having the advice and guidance of a practiced and experienced healthcare professional. You should only take my writings into consideration in the course of arriving at your own conclusions following extensive research. Research is essential in a proactive approach to well-being. You should feel well-informed and empowered before making any decisions about your health.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Apricot Kernels - Dangerous Or Not?

The word, 'Cyanide', is a scary word for most people. It conjures imaginations of dark glass bottles adorned with skulls and crossbones. It's no surprise, therefore, that this is the word used most in the efforts to steer the masses away from apricot kernels and amygdalin. If one reads the warnings and fear propaganda surrounding apricot kernels and amygdalin (vitamin B17), they'd be forgiven for making the assumption that hundreds of people come to harm from their consumption each year. One might even assume that hundreds of people have died from their consumption. So much time, money and energy has been spent warning of the dangers of apricot kernel consumption.

If we search for evidence of harm resulting from the ingestion of apricot kernels, we discover that it is wildly and disproportionately absent. You'll struggle to find 10 medically documented reports after decades of use by hundreds of thousands of individuals. Would it surprise you to learn that, of those medically documented reports, death has never resulted? In most of these cases, irrational quantities of apricot kernels were used - quantities highly unlikely to be consumed by the majority of users. Treatment for acute toxicity is readily available, easily applied and has been 100% effective to date.

In the United States each year, approximately 79,000 deaths result from excessive alcohol consumption, according to the CDC. Can you imagine how many people are admitted to hospital each week with alcohol poisoning all over the world? And yet, bitter apricot kernels, though evidently safe, are on the brink of illegality as a food.

When the health authorities calculate risk based on theoretical data, as they've done with apricot kernels, they don't take into account the body's natural ability to process amygdalin, nor the time-frame in which this happens. This is why they recommend a person not consume more than 4 kernels per day. 4 kernels is the quantity they believe could cause the first of any degree of side-effects, no matter how mild, in the weakest, most susceptible person - this is the poor person for whom the quantity guidelines are established. This person bears very little resemblance to the vast majority of likely users. This isn't explained to the public, of course. They're counting on the masses to use their imaginations. For the uninitiated, this vision might involve dying or ending up in hospital after the consumption of just 5 apricot kernels.

No medicine is one-size-fits-all. The same applies to apricot kernels. Apricot kernel consumption, when tailored to the individual's experience, is entirely safe. The body processes amygdalin in the space of roughly 1.5 hours. Once the amygdalin has been metabolized and its constituents processed, we can start from scratch. The authorities don't take this into consideration and their warnings and recommendations sniff of a massive discrepancy. This ultimately lends itself to conspiracy theory. A great many people are using between 40 and 60 kernels per day with absolutely no adverse reactions or side-effects whatsoever. They are doing this by adhering to sensible, smaller quantities their bodies can tolerate within each consumption session. Read my post about safe dosage.