Can swallowing a cherry seed hurt you?: Understanding the Facts about Cherry Pits and Cyanide

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 1.5 million people contact Poison Control Centers about plant-related exposures each year, with fruit pits being a common concern. So, can swallowing a cherry seed hurt you? The answer depends heavily on whether the hard pit is swallowed whole or crushed, as the risk of toxicity from cyanide compounds is tied to the integrity of the seed inside.

Quick Summary

Cherry pits contain amygdalin, a compound that releases cyanide when crushed. While an intact, swallowed cherry pit usually passes through the digestive system harmlessly, it does pose a choking risk and, in large amounts, a potential intestinal blockage. Poisoning is only a concern if the inner seed is broken, chewed, or ground.

Key Points

Swallowing a whole, intact cherry pit is generally safe: The pit's hard outer shell prevents the release of amygdalin, the toxic compound inside.
Cyanide is released only if the pit is crushed: Chewing or grinding the pit exposes the amygdalin to enzymes, converting it into hydrogen cyanide.
The primary risks of whole pits are mechanical: Whole pits pose a choking hazard, especially for children, and multiple pits could potentially cause an intestinal blockage.
Symptoms of cyanide poisoning can include headache and dizziness: If a crushed pit is ingested, watch for symptoms like headache, nausea, and rapid heart rate, and seek medical help.
Seek professional help for severe cases: If a significant number of pits have been chewed or ingested, contact Poison Control immediately.
Always remove pits before blending: Pitting cherries is crucial before adding them to a blender for smoothies to avoid crushing the toxic kernel.

The Science Behind the Cherry Pit Threat

At the core of the concern lies a chemical compound called amygdalin, a type of cyanogenic glycoside found within the seed (or kernel) of cherry pits. Other stone fruits, like peaches, apricots, and plums, also contain amygdalin. As long as the pit remains intact, the amygdalin is safely encased and poses no threat. However, if the hard outer shell is chewed, crushed, or otherwise broken, it exposes the amygdalin to digestive enzymes. This interaction converts the amygdalin into hydrogen cyanide, a toxic substance.

The Key Difference: Whole vs. Crushed Pits

Accidentally swallowing a whole, unbroken cherry pit is a very different scenario from chewing and ingesting a crushed one. The tough, hard exterior of the pit protects the inner seed from being released, allowing the pit to pass through the digestive tract largely unharmed and without releasing any significant amount of toxins. The body is naturally equipped to detoxify small amounts of cyanide, meaning accidental, low-level exposure is rarely a serious health issue for an adult. The real danger arises when the pit is pulverized, which can happen intentionally (though ill-advised) or accidentally, such as when using a high-speed blender for smoothies.

What to Expect if You Swallow a Whole Cherry Pit

For most people, a single, intact cherry pit will pass through the digestive system without incident, much like other indigestible foods. It is not absorbed and is expelled in the stool. The primary risks associated with swallowing whole pits are mechanical, not toxic. These risks include:

Choking: For young children, the size of a cherry pit makes it a potential choking hazard.
Intestinal Blockage: While rare, swallowing multiple pits at once can lead to an intestinal blockage, a more serious condition that may require medical intervention.

Potential Dangers: Cyanide Toxicity

If the pit is crushed and the toxic compound is released, symptoms of cyanide poisoning can range from mild to severe, depending on the dosage. A Lancashire man who intentionally consumed three crushed seeds was hospitalized for cyanide poisoning, highlighting the real danger of chewing them.

Symptoms of cyanide poisoning:

Headache
Dizziness
Nausea or vomiting
Anxiety
Rapid heart rate
Difficulty breathing
Seizures
Loss of consciousness

Severe poisoning from a large or concentrated dose can be fatal. However, this is exceptionally rare from accidental ingestion of a single, or even a few, whole pits.

Comparative Risks of Stone Fruit Seeds


Feature	Cherry Pit	Apple Seeds	Apricot Kernel
Toxic Compound	Amygdalin	Amygdalin	High concentration of Amygdalin
Mechanism of Toxicity	Crushed pit releases amygdalin, which converts to cyanide.	Chewed or crushed seeds can release amygdalin, converting to cyanide.	Highly concentrated amygdalin, releases cyanide when consumed.
Whole Swallowing Risk	Very low toxic risk; potential choking or blockage.	Very low toxic risk due to protective coating.	Very low toxic risk if consumed whole.
Chewed/Crushed Risk	Low to moderate toxic risk depending on amount and cherry variety.	Low toxic risk due to relatively low concentration and dose needed.	High toxic risk, linked to historical poisonings and false 'cancer cure' claims.

Safety Precautions for Fruit Consumption

For anyone concerned about the risk of ingesting pits, especially when preparing food, there are simple steps to ensure safety:

Pitting fruit: Always remove pits from cherries before using them in recipes, especially for things like smoothies or juices, where a blender would crush the seed and release the toxins.
Supervision: Always supervise young children when they eat cherries to prevent choking.
Education: Teach children to spit out the pits, not swallow or chew them.
Storage: Keep fruits with pits away from pets, who may be more susceptible to poisoning.
Blender safety: Double-check that all pits are removed before blending cherries or other stone fruits.

What to Do in an Emergency

If you suspect someone, especially a child, has chewed or ingested multiple cherry pits and is showing symptoms of poisoning, immediate action is necessary. Do not wait for symptoms to worsen. Call a poison control center immediately, such as the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Be prepared to describe what happened, when it occurred, and any observed symptoms. Medical professionals are best equipped to provide guidance and treatment in such rare but serious situations. You can also consult the resources from the Missouri Poison Center for reliable information.

The Bottom Line on Cherry Seeds

While the thought of cyanide in fruit pits can be alarming, a single, accidentally swallowed cherry pit poses minimal toxic threat because its hard shell remains intact. The body simply passes the pit without releasing the amygdalin inside. The main concerns are physical—a choking hazard for children and a rare risk of intestinal blockage with multiple pits. The serious danger lies in chewing or crushing the pits, which can release toxins. As a simple rule of thumb: enjoy the juicy fruit, but always spit out the pit.

Poison Control: What to Do If You Swallow a Cherry Pit

Frequently Asked Questions

If you accidentally swallow a single, whole cherry pit, it is not a cause for concern. Its hard outer shell protects the toxic inner seed, and it will simply pass through your digestive system intact and be expelled from your body.

Cherry pits contain amygdalin, a substance that is converted into hydrogen cyanide by digestive enzymes when the pit's hard outer shell is broken. This conversion releases the toxic compound, which is what makes chewing or crushing the pits dangerous.

While it's a rare occurrence, swallowing multiple cherry pits at once, particularly in young children, could potentially cause an intestinal blockage. If you experience abdominal pain or other symptoms of obstruction, it is important to seek medical attention.

Mild symptoms can include headache, dizziness, nausea, and anxiety. In more severe cases, which typically only occur from ingesting a significant number of crushed pits, symptoms can escalate to difficulty breathing, seizures, or loss of consciousness.

No, it is not safe to put whole cherries in a high-speed blender. The blades can crush the pits, releasing the toxic amygdalin into your smoothie. Always make sure to remove all pits before blending.

Yes, other stone fruits like peaches, apricots, and plums also contain amygdalin in their pits. The same principle applies: swallowing them whole is less risky than chewing or crushing them. The concentration of the compound can vary significantly between fruits.

For a single, intact swallowed pit, it is generally not necessary to panic, but if you have questions or concerns, calling the Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222) is always recommended. If someone has chewed or ingested multiple pits and is showing symptoms, you should call immediately.

There is no universally agreed-upon number, as the amount of amygdalin varies by cherry type and size. However, serious toxicity is linked to chewing and ingesting a larger number of pits, and one or two whole, accidentally swallowed pits are very unlikely to cause harm.