As the Spring Festival approaches, cherries are abundant in the market. Some netizens have stated that they experienced nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea after consuming a large amount of cherries. Others have claimed that eating too many cherries can lead to iron poisoning and cyanide poisoning. Is it still safe to eat cherries?
Eating a large quantity of cherries at one go can easily lead to indigestion.
Recently, a netizen posted that after eating three bowls of cherries, they experienced diarrhea and vomiting. Wang Lingyu, associate chief physician of gastroenterology at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Zhongshan Hospital), stated that cherries are rich in fiber and are not easy to digest. Especially for people with weak spleen and stomach, consuming too many cherries at once can easily lead to symptoms similar to gastroenteritis, such as vomiting and diarrhea. If the cherries are not fresh or moldy, they may cause acute gastroenteritis in the consumer.
Cherries have a warm nature, so people with a damp-heat constitution should not eat too many of them, as it may lead to symptoms of heat excess such as dry mouth, dry throat, oral ulcers, and constipation.
Eating cherries in moderation will not lead to iron poisoning.
Iron poisoning is caused by excessive intake of iron. Data shows that acute iron poisoning can occur when the amount of iron ingested reaches or exceeds 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. For an adult weighing 60 kilograms, this would be approximately 1200 milligrams of iron.
However, the iron content in cherries is only 0.36 milligrams per 100 grams. To reach the amount that could cause iron poisoning, an adult weighing 60 kilograms would need to consume approximately 333 kilograms of cherries, which is impossible for a normal person to eat at one time.
It's worth noting that the iron content in Chinese cabbage, which we often eat, is 0.8 milligrams per 100 grams. So, if one is concerned about iron poisoning from eating cherries, shouldn't they also avoid eating Chinese cabbage?
Can eating cherries lead to cyanide poisoning?
The symptoms of acute cyanide poisoning in humans include vomiting, nausea, headache, dizziness, bradycardia, convulsions, respiratory failure, and ultimately death. For example, the lethal dose of potassium cyanide ranges from 50 to 250 milligrams, which is comparable to the lethal dose of arsenic.
Cyanides in plants usually exist in the form of cyanides. The seeds of many plants in the Rosaceae family, such as peaches, cherries, apricots, and plums, contain cyanides, and indeed, the kernels of cherries also contain cyanides. However, the flesh of these fruits does not contain cyanides.
Cyanides themselves are non-toxic. It is only when the plant cell structure is destroyed that β-glucosidase in cyanogenic plants can hydrolyze cyanides to produce toxic hydrogen cyanide.
The cyanide content in each gram of cherry kernels, when converted to hydrogen cyanide, is only tens of micrograms. People generally do not intentionally consume cherry kernels, so it is very rare for cherry kernels to poison people.
The dose of hydrogen cyanide that causes poisoning in humans is approximately 2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. The claim on the internet that consuming a small amount of cherries can lead to poisoning is actually quite impractical.
Enjoy cherries with peace of mind, but avoid eating the pits.
Firstly, cyanides themselves are non-toxic, and it is hydrogen cyanide that may cause acute poisoning in humans. The cyanides in cherries are all located in the pits, which are usually difficult for people to bite open or chew, and thus not consumed.
Secondly, cyanides can be easily removed. Since cyanides are unstable to heat, thorough heating is the most effective way to remove them. Studies have found that boiling can remove over 90% of cyanides. Currently, the international recommendation is to avoid consuming these cyanide-containing foods raw.
For consumers, the simplest method is to avoid eating the pits of fruits. Unless one deliberately chews on the pits, the possibility of cyanide poisoning from eating fruits is virtually nonexistent.
Post time: Jan-20-2025