Overview Nitrilosides are a group of plant substances some people refer to as vitamin B17, although these chemicals technically are not vitamins. Amygdalin is a type of nitriloside from which Laetrile is derived. Laetrile is a claimed cancer treatment, and it may be natural or semi-synthetic, depending on its place of manufacture. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) advises against taking Laetrile or amygdalin supplements because no evidence supports their effectiveness, and they are associated with cyanide toxicity. Anyone who does take these products should avoid eating foods containing amygdalin, because these foods can add extra cyanide to the body. The foods are safe otherwise because the levels of amygdalin in them are low, according to Cancer Research UK. Apricot Kernels The primary source of amygdalin is apricot kernels, contained inside the seeds (pits). The health claim for preventing cancer involves eating about seven apricot kernels per day, as explained by CureZone.
The cancer treatment Laetrile, when made from natural sources, is derived from crushed apricot kernels. Cancer Research UK notes that eating 50 to 60 apricot kernels per day is toxic enough to be fatal. Other fruit seeds containing amygdalin include apple, cherry, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, plum, prune and squash. Nuts and Seeds Bitter almonds taste like apricot kernels, and these ingredients can substitute for each other in recipes. Bitter almonds also contain amygdalin, and they have over 500 mg of nitrilosides per 100 g of food, according to Alternative Health Group. For this level of vitamin B17, people should eat the bitter almonds raw. Raw cashew nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts and flax seed also contain amygdalin. Vegetables, Beans and Grains Some vegetables, beans and grains also contain vitamin B17. Amygdalin-containing foods include various types of bean sprouts, carrots, celery, wheatgrass, yams, brown rice and pulses such as butter beans, lima beans and mung beans.
Alternative Health Group lists foods with over 100 mg of nitrilosides per 100 g of food and varying amounts of amygdalin as buckwheat, cassava, millet, fava beans, lentils, and alfalfa and eucalyptus leaves. Fruit Berries and certain other fruits also contain vitamin B17, according to Alternative Health Group. These fruits contain varying amounts of amygdalin, and they all contain over 100 mg per of nitrilosides per 100 g of food. They include wild blackberries (domestic ones contain only small amounts of nitrilosides), boysenberries, Swedish cranberries, currants, elderberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, loganberries, mulberries, raspberries, quince, choke cherries and wild crab apples. email Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: AmygdalinCancer Research UK: LaetrileLife Enthusiast Co-op: LaetrileCureZone: LaetrileAlternative Health Group: Amygdalin DON'T MISS Vitamin B12 & Folic Acid Are Spicy Foods Bad for Pregnant Women? Can You Take Vitamins B6 & B12 Together? Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox
The seeds within apricot pits contain the most vitamin B17. Vitamin B17, also called amygdalin or laetrile, is a controversial natural compound because it contains molecules of cyanide. Cyanide gas is deadly in high doses, but the small amounts of cyanide found in B17-rich foods are essential for health. Vitamin B17 appears in abundance in nature but not in many foods commonly eaten by most people. B17 tastes bitter, so foods or parts of foods that are rich in B17 often are avoided or discarded. The amount of B17 in food varies quite a bit according to soil quality and climate, so it’s difficult to assign specific amounts. Vitamin B17 The natural compound amygdalin was discovered and recognized as part of the B-vitamin family in 1830, although it’s not commonly referred to as a vitamin by modern nutritionists, biochemists or scientists. It’s called amygdalin when it’s found in nature or laetrile when it’s purified and concentrated and used medicinally, often to treat cancer. It is not endorsed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a cancer remedy or cure.
Because amygdalin is not recognized as a vitamin by mainstream medicine, it does not have a recommended dietary allowance and no deficiency symptoms are currently recognized. Foods rich in amygdalin often are referred to as nitrilosides by nutritionists and herbalists. Nitrilosides include a variety of seeds, nuts, grains, sprouts, tubers, legumes, grasses and leafy greens. Seeds, Nuts and Grains The seeds of apricots -- contained in the kernel -- are the richest source of vitamin B17, according to the “Textbook of Nutritional Medicine.” Other fruits that contain seeds rich in B17 include peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, cherries and prunes; however, most people discard the kernels or pits. The seeds of apples, grapes and berries such as blackberries and Swedish lingonberries are also very good sources of B17. Bitter almonds are the nuts with the most B17, but cashews and macadamia nuts are also good sources. Millet, buckwheat and barley are decent grain sources of B17. Sprouts, Tubers and Legumes Bamboo sprouts are rich sources of B17, whereas alfalfa, garbanzo and mung sprouts are lesser sources.
Tubers such as cassava are quite high in B17; yams and sweet potatoes contain much lower amounts. A number of legumes contain B17, but none are rich sources. Examples include fava beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, green peas, lima beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and lentils. Grasses and Leafy Greens Many grasses are excellent sources of B17, but very few people eat them. Johnson grass, Tunis grass and arrow grass are good examples. Alfalfa and eucalyptus leaves are rich sources of B17, whereas beet greens, spinach and watercress contain moderate amounts. References Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition; Benjamin Caballero, et al.Textbook of Nutritional Medicine; /Getty Images MORE MUST-CLICKS: Seafood With B12 "Vitamin B-12 in Eggs, Milk & Chicken" The Best Green Leafy Vegetables to Increase Iron How to Eat Less Potatoes & White Rice Define B12 Recommended Vitamin D3Vitamins In FoodVitamins For CancerCancer VitaminVitamin B17B17 CancerKills CancerAnti CancerCancer CuresFight CancerForwardVitamin B17 is a cure for cancer!