Lychees are plentiful in the market now, and young and old alike enjoy them. But many people end up swallowing the seed while eating the fruit.

Some also eat the seeds in one way or another, believing them to be beneficial. You may be surprised to learn that lychee seeds can be very harmful to health.

According to Healthshots, lychee seeds contain natural toxins that can be dangerous to the human body.

Several studies have also found that lychee seeds contain a particular type of amino acid that seriously affects blood glucose levels. It can even cause inflammation of the brain.

Lychee seeds are not the only ones. Seeds of some other fruits are also toxic and can harm health even if eaten by mistake. Here are some of them.

Everyone knows an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples are a nutritional powerhouse. But while eating apples regularly is healthy, swallowing or deliberately chewing the seeds can be dangerous.

The seeds are toxic because they contain a compound called amygdalin. When you chew apple seeds, the compound releases hydrogen cyanide, which can even cause death.

However, this happens only when you take in about 1.52 milligrams of hydrogen cyanide per kilogram.

Raw kidney beans contain a high concentration of a chemical called phytohaemagglutinin, which makes red blood cells clump together. So eating even a small amount of raw kidney beans can cause diarrhoea.

Who doesn't like tomatoes? But you may be surprised to learn that tomatoes' small seeds can have serious health effects. Research says eating tomato seeds can cause kidney stones.

This happens because of the oxalate in tomato seeds, which helps kidney stones form. So avoid eating too many tomatoes.

Some other fruits, such as apricots, plums, cherries and peaches, also have highly toxic seeds. They contain cyanogenic compounds that can do serious harm to the body.

Citing Healthshots

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.