Toddler Ate Apple Seeds (Should I Be Concerned?)

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If you’re a parent, you know that toddlers are into everything. They’re curious, exploring everything around them, which can sometimes lead to them eating things that they shouldn’t. Like an entire apple with the seeds and core.

Don’t worry, your little one is going to be fine!

While apple seeds do have a small amount of cyanide, it is actually pretty harmless in small doses, and your toddler would have to eat a LOT of apple seeds to get even close to a dangerous level.

In this short post, I’ll give you a quick rundown of why eating apple seeds or the core can sometimes be risky and what you should do about it.

Can Toddlers Eat Apple Seeds?

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You shouldn’t give your toddler apple seeds, but if they do eat a few seeds accidentally there are few possible but risks that you need to know.

Can Toddlers Eat Apple Seeds


But like I said, the chances of these happening are pretty slim and you don’t need to worry about them at all.

Also Read: Can Babies Eat GoGurt?

Risks Of Eating Apple Seeds

One of the risks of a toddler eating apple seeds is that they could choke on them. Apple seeds are small, hard and sharp. If a toddler were to choke on one, it could block their airway and be very dangerous.

Another risk is that apple seeds contain a small amount of cyanide (amygdalin to be precise, which breaks down inside our bodies and produces cyanide)

This is a poison that can be harmful if ingested in large quantities. However, a toddler would have to eat a lot of apple seeds for it to be dangerous, so it’s not a major concern.

In fact, they’d probably get sick of apples long before they ate enough to be in any danger.

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Plus, they’d need to chew the apple seed to release cyanide. If they swallow it whole, the worst thing that could happen is a stomach ache, which is also very unlikely.


This doesn’t mean you should let them eat the whole apple, either. Give them slices with the seeds removed.

Toddler Ate Apple Core – Should I Be Worried?

While it may seem like a big deal, eating an apple core is actually pretty harmless. In fact the core is the healthiest part of the apple and can be beneficial health wise. 

The biggest risk of a toddler eating an apple core is they could choke on them. Apple cores are pretty big for a toddler and are a choking hazard.

Just like apple seeds, don’t let your little one eat the core.

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Final Thoughts

If your toddler eats a few apple seeds, there’s no need to be overly concerned. They’re unlikely to choke on them, and the amount of cyanide they would ingest IF they chew the seeds is very small.

Toddler Ate Apple Core


That said, it’s still worth keeping an eye on your child if they eat apple seeds.

However, if your toddler eats a lot of apple seeds, or if they start choking on them, you should immediately call a doctor.

The best advice I can give is to keep apples or other fruit out of their reach and only give them slices instead of the whole fruit.

FAQs

Are There Any Health Benefits Of Eating Apple Seeds?

Apple seeds can be beneficial because they have a lot of good bacteria that helps minimise the frequency and the severity and of any allergies you get. Plus, they also contain a bit of ursolic acid which has antibacterial, anti-protozoal and anti-tumor properties.

But still, don’t let your toddler eat them! If they accidentally eat some and are okay, at least they get some health benefits.

How Many Apple Seeds Will Kill A Human ?

Turns out, it takes anywhere from 150 to several thousand  CRUSHED apples seeds to kill a human! But the exact amount depends on the variety of apples.

We can assume the number would be a bit lower than that for toddlers. Still, that’s a huge amount of seeds and your toddler can’t eat that many apples (or just seeds). 

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