After eating cherries, a British man was recently treated for cyanide poisoning. The Independent reports that while munching on the summery snack, the man cracked open three pits and ate the toxic substance inside.
Matthew Crème told the BBC it “tasted similar to an almond but with a cherry flavor to it — I didn't think nothing of it, just thought it was a seed, so I ate it and continued to eat more of it.”
He began to feel sick almost instantly and was rushed to the hospital.
The pits and seeds of many fruits contain amygdalin: a plant compound that the body converts to cyanide after eating. Amygdalin stays safely in the pit — unless you crack it open and eat the substance inside
Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Rapid heart rate
- Convulsions
Crème has recovered from the cyanide poisoning. However, doctors and dietitians recommend that you keep eating fruit -- skin and all, if you prefer -- but to avoid the pits.
To steer clear of possible danger: spit out the pit!