Can You Eat Crab Apples? Benefits & Risks

Crab apples are small, tart fruits that resemble cherries and come in various colors, including red, yellow, and green. 

Crab apples are rich in vitamin C and contain trace quantities of other minerals. One cup of raw crab apples provides 83.6 calories and contains a small amount of iron, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, and magnesium. 

You can tell whether a crab apple is ripe by cutting it open and examining the seeds. If the seeds are brown rather than white or green, the crab apple is ready to eat. The apple should also have a spongy texture and not taste too sour.

1. High in antioxidants

Crab apples are high in antioxidants, which can help combat free radicals in the body that cause cell damage and aging. Crab apples have higher polyphenol content than regular apples and have great potential for health and cosmetic uses.

2. May help fight cancer

Red crab apples especially have anticancer properties. Studies report that with their pro-atopic action, crab apples may have an anti-proliferative function in limiting and regulating the development and spread of malignant cells. 

Crab apple leaves also have bioactive chemicals that are being studied as antitumor potential in human cancer cell lines.

3. High in pectin

When incorporated into a balanced diet, a type of fiber called pectin in crab apples can help control blood sugar, protect against colon cancer, help with the growth of good gut bacteria, and even reduce cholesterol. 

4. Source of malic and tartaric acid

These acids give the fruit its tart, sour flavor. Gout, indigestion, inflammation, constipation, and fever have all been treated using crab apples in Ayurvedic medicine.

5. Aid in pollination

During the summer, most crab apple trees produce beautiful pink or white blooms. These attract bees and birds that aid in the pollination of other plants in your garden.

Crab apple seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, often known as cyanide. However, as long as you do not eat the core or seeds, crab apples are not toxic.

Even if you consume a few seeds by accident, they will most likely pass through your system unnoticed. Cyanide toxicity is a possibility only if you eat more than 100 seeds in one sitting. 

Signs and symptoms of cyanide poisoning vary depending on the number of seeds eaten and the manner in which the seeds were consumed (swallowed or chewed). Symptoms of cyanide poisoning may include:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Confusion
• Vomiting
• Anxiety
• Gastritis
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty breathing
• Kidney failure
• Coma
• Convulsions
• Death due to respiratory arrest

However, this is only relevant in severe cases. Eating 3-4 seeds is nothing to worry about since a moderate number of cyanide molecules can be detoxified by your body.

Treatment for accidental crab apple seed poisoning or cyanide overdose includes:

• Methemoglobin generators
• Direct binding agents
• Sulfur donors

However, there is no unanimous consensus on the optimum treatment for cyanide poisoning. The only cyanide poisoning treatment approved for use in the United States is a kit that includes amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, and sodium thiosulfate. Future studies will seek a faster-acting, more effective, and more tolerable cyanide poisoning treatment.

If you have chewed or consumed a large amount of crab apple seeds, rinse your mouth, drink plenty of water, and relax. Seek medical attention if you feel uneasy or have symptoms such as nausea and dizziness. Doctors may start intravenous fluids to keep you hydrated and clear your stomach to induce vomiting.