Apple cores actually contain a lot of fibre, so it is beneficial to eat them. Just avoid chewing on the seeds! — dpa
It is up to you whether or not you eat the core of your apple, although some people choose not to, fearing it may be poisonous.
That’s only partly true, says Germany’s Centre for Nutrition (BZfE).
Apple cores, or more specifically, the seeds, contain amygdalin, a cyanide-and-sugar based molecule that is converted into hydrogen cyanide – a highly poisonous substance – by the digestive system, the BZfE explains.
But the substance is only released if you bite into the seeds, and only lethal if you eat very large quantities of them.
An adult would need to eat a staggering amount of crushed seeds to be at risk of poisoning-by-apple-core, which is rather unlikely, not least because the seeds have an unpleasantly bitter taste.
If you want to be completely sure, simply don’t chew them, and they will pass through your body whole and leave in the same form.
Otherwise, the core of the apple is very healthy as it contains a lot of fibre, which is helpful for your digestion.
So if you don’t mind the texture of an apple core, then it makes perfect nutritional and ecological sense to eat it.
The only thing to watch out for is the rare case that your apple has core rot, which develops during blossoming.
But don’t worry, that is immediately visible once you cut the fruit open. – dpa
