There is an unspoken rule in our society that we will eat not the core of an apple. But is there any truth to this social normal, and what does the actual research say? In this post I will break down why eating apple cores is actually beneficial, and why most people do not even bother to give the apple core a second glance.
Why don’t we eat Apple cores?
The answer to this question is actually quite simple, and pragmatic. Let’s think about the convenience of eating an apple, and how abundant apples are compared to a couple hundred years ago.
When it comes to eating fruit, convenience is a major factor in the overall enjoyment. Simply put, the easier something is to eat the more anyone will like it. With apples eating around the core and basically only eating the sweet, tarty flesh leaves the eater with a better experience. The difficulty of eating the fibrous and tough cores was seen as a negative. Thus, that is what most people started to do, and ignore the core.
Now, the negatives about this convenient approach will come by feeling guilty about it. But with the ample supply of apples in the 21st century, consuming apples without munching on the core can be done without guilt. There are just tons of apples, and the prices are quite low. As a result, the increased supply in apples led to more people not eating apple cores.
The Cost of not Eating Apple Cores
Since we have some understanding about why people stopped eating the apple core. We can now discuss how this convenience is actually a cost. The idea is that too much convenience from consumerism can actually cost the consumer without them knowing about it.
The Atlantic made a post that for every pound of apples purchased we are wasting 30% of the apple. For example if a pound of apples cost $2.00 and you do not eat the core (about 30% of the mass), you are actually buying $1.40 worth of apple. A waste of $0.60 per apple. Scaling this to the entire apple industry we get a loss of 13.2 billion per year.
The collective population is losing 13.2 billion per year by deciding not to eat the apple core. Because after all , the cost of apples is calculated on the whole apple, not just the sweet flesh part. Now, someone could say that the core has no value, hence the loss in value is not justified. But the research is clear that eating the core is highly beneficial for health.
Why you should eat apple cores
Since we understand the loss of value by not eating the apple cores, let us get into the health benefits. Science shows that good bacteria, in particular, gut flora which leads better digestion, improved immune system, protection against bad bacteria (the disease kind), and produces vitamins including B vitamins B12, thiamine and riboflavin, and Vitamin K, which is needed for blood coagulation. This gut flora is found in massive quantities in the overall stem, seeds, calyx end, and stem end. Basically the parts of the apple core that is thrown in the trash, or discarded.
From the research it is extremely clear that eating apple cores will provide many health benefits. And we should welcome the nutritional value that is provided from the fruit.
If it’s clear that the consumer is losing value from not eating the core, both in cost and nutritional value. Then why is not every single person eating the apple. In addition to the convenience and eating experience there is a myth. That myth comes from the apple seeds themselves, and the cyanide that apples contain.
Are Apple Seeds Poisonous
What about the cyanide in the apple seed and does it actually matter? First let’s see how much cyanide is actually harmful to humans. According to the CDC it takes 1–2 mg/kg of oral dose of cyanide for a 154 lbs. man to be killed.
How many apple seeds do you take to receive a lethal dose? This article says 200 seeds, or about 40 apple cores. But that article misses the point, how many apples can you eat without any negative effects?
To see we can just use the numbers from above and calculate a safe estimate. If 40 apple cores is deathly for a 154lb man, that gives us a ratio of 1 apple core per 3.85 pounds. But this is for a lethal dose, we can assume that a much safer dose is about half of that.
So 20 apples cores would be much safer. This gives us a ratio of 1 apple core to 7.7 pounds, or 0.12 apple cores per pound is completely safe to eat. With this number, take your current weight and multiply by 0.12 and that will give how many apples cores you can safely eat. I weigh about 150lbs, so my limit is 18 apple cores.
Summary
Absolutely! Based on the science and economics and calculating the risks. We should all be eating the apple cores. If the seeds do scare you, then just spit them out as you munch on the core. The positives far outweigh the negatives, just stay under the limit 0.12 apple cores per pound and you should have nothing to worry about!
Next time you are enjoying your favorite apple start munching on that core. Thanks for reading, and eat those apple cores!