Food - Drink
The Reason You Should Never Eat Pawpaw Skin Or Seeds
By MOLLY HARRIS
If you're unfamiliar with pawpaws, this trendy fruit has yet to take off near you. The green-skinned fruit is native to North America, ranging from 3 to 6 inches long, and has a yellow flesh that tastes like a blend of tropical fruits rolled up in one — but there are some parts of this fruit you should definitely avoid.
Unfortunately, you can only eat a fraction of the fruit — which is its flesh — as the seeds and skin contain a toxin known as annonacin. When ingested over a long period, pawpaw skin and seeds can cause mild symptoms like vomiting, severe issues like nerve damage, as well as possible allergic reactions.
However, it’s not all bad, as there are some significant benefits of pawpaws — according to Purdue, they are a good source of many vitamins and minerals, and their twigs are being studied in cancer treatment drugs. So, while you should limit the amount of pawpaws you eat, don’t write the fruit off just yet.