Doctor's warning about 'right way' to eat an apple - and if you can eat the core

Apples are a straightforward snack, typically enjoyed whole or sliced with the core discarded. Some may even opt to peel the skin for a more luxurious experience.

However, according to TikTok medic Dr Karan Raj, we've been eating apples all wrong. The renowned mythbuster insists that for optimal nutrition, one should consume the apple core.

In his video, he elaborates: "If you're eating an apple, make sure you eat the apple core as well. Most of the good gut bacteria or beneficial probiotics which are found in the apple and are good for your gut health, are actually found in the apple core, rather than in the flesh or the skin of the fruit."

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He adds, "Eating the apple core also increases your intake of prebiotic fibres and reduces food waste."

However, caution is advised when it comes to the tiny black seeds, which could pose problems if consumed in large quantities. These seeds contain amygdalin, which can release cyanide when it interacts with human digestive enzymes.

While the protective outer layer of apple seeds usually safeguards us from harm by resisting our body's digestive juices, chewing the seeds can lead to the release of amygdalin into the body - potentially producing cyanide, a poison infamously associated with chemical warfare.

Before you decide to throw away your apples and swear off them forever, it's important to note that accidentally swallowing a seed or two won't harm you. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that a lethal oral dose of cyanide for a man weighing 70 kg is 12 mg/kg.

Generally, an apple core contains about five seeds, but this can vary depending on the health of the plant. To ingest a fatal dose, you would need to thoroughly chew and swallow around 200 apple seeds or roughly 40 apple cores.