THE HEALTHY GOAN
Apples contain cyanide. Cyanide is a lethal poison. It harms the brain the heart and puts you into a coma and then death. Isn't it quite surprising that a fruit as harmless looking as an apple can be so poisonous. Now that I have your attention, let’s delve into it.
HOW IT WORKS
Apple is a fruit which is part of the staple diet of many people. It is a healthy and nutritive fruit full of antioxidants. However apple seeds contain a substance called amygdalin. The apple seeds have a hard outer layer. If you bite into an apple seed you might have noticed that it is bitter. This is because of the amygdalin. When you chew and swallow the apple seeds the amygdalin comes in contact with your digestive enzymes and forms cyanide. Isn't this quite scary? The body can process small amounts of cyanide but larger doses can be deadly.
THE LOW DOWN
But worry not, for the apples to be poisonous to you, you would have to consume around 40 to 50 apples along with their cores and seeds. I would guesstimate that to be around 6 or 7 kg or 15 pounds of apples. That's quite a load of apples!
Some other fruits that contain amygdalin and therefore cyanide include almonds apricots peaches and cherries.
OTHER POISONOUS EVERYDAY FOODS
Another surprisingly potential harmful food we consume everyday without blinking an eye, includes something as unassuming looking as a cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli and brussels sprouts.
These cruciferous vegetables have the potential of inhibiting the function of the thyroid gland and reduce the production of thyroid hormones, thereby causing a condition known as goitre.
Nutmeg is another example of these types of potentially harmful everyday foods. Nutmeg adds a nice, nutty flavour when you add it in small amounts to baked goods. But eaten by the spoonful, it can cause big problems to your system. Even as little as 2 teaspoons can be toxic to your body because of myristicin, an oil that can cause hallucinations, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, and seizures.
It is important to remember that the harmful effects of these foods is dose specific. Meaning their harmful effects are non-existent in lower amounts but manifest in abnormally high quantities.
What I would like to portray to you through this article is that like apples, cauliflower and nutmeg there are so many foods that we consume every day that can also be harmful to us if we over consume it.
However, we manage to auto regulate their consumption, possibly because of its taste, volume or in the case of nutmeg, bitterness. These foods could serve as a great example of how to find the middle ground in achieving a healthier version of ourselves.
Extreme approaches always lead to not so favourable outcomes. It is about taking the time to build systems that work for you. As with all good things in life moderation is key. In the meanwhile, do continue enjoying your apple!
(Dr Rohan Fonseca is a clinician and proprietor of Dr Fonseca’s Pathology Laboratory and Clinics, Panaji. A health and fitness enthusiast, he has started “drrohanfonseca”, a lifestyle and weight management clinic. Find him on youtube.com/drrohanfonseca)
