Contra-indications of Apples

Apples are a safe food to use in nearly all instances. They are nontoxic, not habit-forming and to my knowledge they are within the law to consume. A few cautions may be considered for the overly cautious.

Apples are difficult to grow without the use of pesticides and herbicides. There are several pests and diseases that enjoy apples as much as we all do. Apples grown in the United States rank among the top 12 foods most contaminated by pesticides with a score of 124 (200 = most toxic). There are organic growers out there, and their numbers are growing. Seek fresh organic apples if possible. This will reduce the risk of ingesting any unwanted chemicals.

Consuming fruits in excessive amounts is believed to cause griping pain or diarrhea. This may be true for some unripe or sour varieties. This should not be a concern with Malus pimila. If there is any concern, however, this can be avoided by thoroughly chewing each bite before swallowing. This will start the digestive process. In “Back to Eden” by Jethro Kloss we learn that time on an exclusive apple diet is safe and will greatly benefit the body. But Kloss warned that “ordinary apple cider is not fit to be used.”

The main caution with apples is the over consumption of apple seeds. Amygdaline is cyanide that occurs naturally in the seeds. It has the capability of poisoning, as one man found out. “There is a famous, sad case of an American man who saved up all his apple pips until he had about a cup of them. One day- for a reason that will always remain a mystery- he ate all the pips he collected and died as a result.” The seeds are safe in small amounts. If you plan to eat apple seeds, eat the apple, too. In other words, consuming one apple with all its seeds at the same time is safe.