Beechnuts do not contain as much hydrogen cyanide as bitter almonds, for example. However, caution should be exercised when consuming raw fruits. It is better to heat the seeds of the common beech before consumption by roasting them or pouring hot water over them.
How dangerous is the hydrogen cyanide in beechnuts?
Beechnuts contain hydrogen cyanide, but in smaller quantities than bitter almonds. However, they should be heated before consumption, e.g. B. by roasting or pouring hot water over it to reduce the hydrogen cyanide content and therefore make it harmless.
Poisoning by hydrogen cyanide in raw beechnuts
Prussic acid is found in most plant-based foods, but only in small quantities, so consumption is not harmful. The concentration of hydrogen cyanide in raw beechnuts is relatively low, but significantly higher than in strawberries, for example. As is so often the case, the dose makes the poison. Most adults can safely collect a few of the seeds and eat them raw.
It's different with small children, whose organisms can only process very small amounts of hydrogen cyanide. If a child has eaten several raw beechnuts, parents should keep a close eye on the child afterwards. If symptoms of poisoning occur, the child must be seen by a doctor immediately.
The symptoms of poisoning that can occur in children and adults after eating too many raw beechnuts include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Ringing in the ears
- Breath smelling like bitter almonds
- Severe shortness of breath
Heating the beechnuts reduces the hydrogen cyanide content
If you have collected large quantities of beechnuts to enjoy as a snack, you should heat the seeds beforehand. The heat breaks down most of the hydrogen cyanide. The amounts remaining in the fruit are safe for human consumption.
It is best to roast the seeds in the pan without any fat. Alternatively, you can also pour hot water over them. Since hydrogen cyanide evaporates at temperatures of around 25 degrees, this method is well suited to reducing the toxic content of the beechnuts to a he althy level.
If you crush the beechnuts or grind them into flour to bake cakes with, the baking heat is sufficient to reduce the hydrogen cyanide. However, you should avoid snacking on the dough before baking.
Tips & Tricks
Roasting or heating the beechnuts not only reduces the hydrogen cyanide content to a digestible level. The toxic fagin and the also harmful oxalic acid are also broken down. In addition, roasting gives the fruits the right aroma.
