Ginkgo nuts are ripe. Some say they are poisonous, while others say they are beneficial. Do you know how to eat them in the safest way?

Ginkgo trees are tall and straight, with fan-shaped leaves, quaint leaves, and long lifespan. They are listed as one of the four longevity ornamental tree species in China. Every October, the endless ginkgo leaves are stacked layer by layer. Walking among them, the light and shadows are mottled, which is very beautiful. In addition to the golden ginkgo leaves, a large number of ginkgo fruits are about to mature and fall on the streets. Some people will pick up the fallen ginkgo fruits with bags.

But it is worth noting that ginkgo nuts are somewhat toxic, so be careful when eating them.

What are Ginkgo Nuts?

Ginkgo nuts are commonly known as white nuts. They are composed of a fleshy exocarp, a bony mesocarp, a membranous endocarp, and a kernel. Ginkgo nuts are oval or spherical in shape. When ripe, the outer skin is yellow. As the autumn wind blows, they fall off the tree naturally. Peeling off the outer skin will give you hard ginkgo seeds, commonly known as white nuts. The dried white shell of the ginkgo nut is silvery white. After removing this hard shell, you will get the white nut kernel wrapped in a silver or light brown film. The white nut kernel is cut open, and the core inside is the embryo of the ginkgo nut. The remaining part is called the endosperm, which is the main edible part of the ginkgo nut. The fresh white nut kernel is green like jade, and it is light yellow or light green when cooked. It has a slightly bitter taste and is soft and delicious when eaten hot.

Dried ginkgo kernels contain about 60%-70% starch, 13% protein and 3% fat, as well as trace nutrients such as sterols, vitamins, riboflavin, trace elements and inorganic salts. In addition, ginkgo contains ginkgolide and ginkgo flavonoids, the unique active ingredients of ginkgo, and proper consumption is beneficial to improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular functions.

Are ginkgo nuts poisonous?

According to the pharmacopoeia, ginkgo has the effects of astringing the lungs and calming asthma, stopping leukorrhea, and reducing urine. It is used to treat cough and asthma with excessive sputum, leukorrhea, enuresis and frequent urination. The pharmacopoeia dosage is 5-10g. However, it should be noted that ginkgo contains toxic components such as ginkgolic acid, ginkgolactone, hydrocyanic acid and allergenic proteins. In particular, the embryo of ginkgo contains most of the hydrocyanic acid, ginkgolactone and a small amount of ginkgolactone in the ginkgo kernel, which is the part with the highest content of toxic components in the ginkgo kernel. Ginkgo toxins and allergenic proteins are mainly found in the edible endosperm. Ginkgo toxins are the main toxic substances that cause acute ginkgo poisoning. Ginkgo poisoning often occurs within 3-4 hours after consumption. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, convulsions, and dyspnea. In severe cases, death may occur due to respiratory failure. A few people show sensory disorders and lower limb paralysis. After eating ginkgo, if poisoning symptoms appear, induce vomiting immediately and seek medical attention in time.

Moreover, the ginkgo trees in public green belts are very different from those in orchards. The ginkgo trees on the roadside are mainly used for urban greening and dust prevention and retention. Pesticides are also sprayed during greening maintenance, which inevitably leaves pesticide residues, making them even less edible or medicinal.

Scientific consumption of ginkgo nuts

Ginkgo nuts are loved by many people in life. They are rich in branched starch, delicious, flexible, smooth, fragrant and delicious. They are often processed into delicious dishes, but ginkgo nuts contain certain toxic ingredients, so when eating, the toxic parts must be removed first. For the ginkgo nuts purchased in the market, the hard shell must be peeled off first, and the membrane must be removed by boiling water for 10 minutes, and the embryo must be removed before cooking. If the ginkgo nuts are picked, because the ginkgo fruit fleshy outer seed coat has a high content of ginkgolic acid, it will corrode the skin. The picked ginkgo nuts can be soaked in water for a period of time until the outer flesh is completely rotten and falls off, then cleaned, sorted, inspected and dried.

Remember that ginkgo nuts cannot be eaten raw. They must be cooked at high temperatures to remove most of the toxic components in the nuts, reduce allergenicity, and ensure safety. In addition, the amount consumed must be controlled. Do not consume excessive amounts of cooked ginkgo nuts. It is recommended that adults consume 10-20 nuts, children should not consume more than 5 nuts, and infants should not consume them. Sprouted ginkgo nuts cannot be eaten, and fish should not be eaten at the same time as ginkgo nuts.

Ginkgo nuts can be cooked in a variety of ways. They can be directly fried and used as snacks, made into porridge, and are often used as a side dish in dishes. Whether it is roast chicken or roast duck, put ginkgo nuts into the pot after the main ingredients are basically cooked. The fragrance of ginkgo nuts can dissolve the greasiness of the meat, and the ginkgo nuts absorbed by the delicious soup are fragrant and delicious. The two complement each other and increase appetite, such as ginkgo braised pork, ginkgo stewed chicken, white fungus and ginkgo sweet soup, etc.

Written by: Lao Ke Kai Brain Hole

This article is produced by Science Popularization China-Starry Sky Project (Creation and Cultivation). Please indicate the source when reprinting.