Swallowing seeds is a common occurrence in everyday life. Whether eating a delicious fruit or grabbing a handful of grasses, coming into contact with seeds is easy.
Most people would know that avocado seeds contain a chemical called oleic acid, which can be mildly irritating to the gut. For most people, swallowing an avocado seed will not cause much of an issue.
Lemon seeds are another common seed to swallow. They are small and smooth, making them easy to drop down the throat without noticing. Luckily, lemon seeds are not too harmful!
If you have ever had a lemonade and grabbed a handful of the leftover pulp at the bottom of the glass, then you may have already swallowed some lemon seeds without even realizing it. Luckily, if you do not have an excessive amount left in your glass or bottle, then there will not be too much of an issue.
This article will discuss what happens if you swallow a lemon seed and if there are any issues that can arise from this occurrence.
What happens if you swallow a lemon seed?
If you accidentally swallow a lemon seed, you should not worry. While they are strangely scary to see in the toilet, they are not dangerous.
As mentioned above, lemon seeds are not poisonous. You will also never encounter a wild lemon tree so you will not be encountering its seeds in the wild. Any store-bought lemons or lemons you grow will not have seeds either.
If you do happen to swallow a lemon seed, it will pass through your digestive system just like any other food would. Since it is made of cellulose, it will be broken down into water and carbon dioxide as part of the process of being digested.
However, if the seed happens to sprout inside of your stomach or intestine, then there might be some complications. The seed might attach itself to the lining of your internal organs and begin to grow new plants there. This is called a foreign body reaction.
How much does a lemon seed hurt?
Thankfully, swallowing a lemon seed does not hurt. As mentioned before, they are very small and do not weigh much.
However, if you were to swallow a lemon seed and it sprouted in your stomach, that might hurt! Imagine a small tree growing inside of you, pushing against your internal organs.
The problem is that when they sprout, they do so below the ground, so you would not know it until it started to grow. By then, it might be too late.
Botanists and other experts have warned about the dangers of planting citrus trees from seeds for years now but the message doesn’t seem to be catching on. Perhaps more people will listen now that there’s a new warning: If you plant citrus trees from seeds, you could be planting the beginning of your own personal horror story.
Are there any treatments?
Unfortunately, there are no known treatments for citrus granule neoplasia. There is no standard treatment, so doctors may suggest removing the tumour or using radiation therapy.
However, studies have shown that mice treated with radiation showed no difference in tumour growth compared to mice that were not treated.
Therefore, most doctors do not recommend radiation therapy as a treatment unless the tumour is very large and affects the size of the lizard’s body. Removal of the tumour is also difficult due to its location within the skeleton.
Surgery may also lead to other health complications due to lack of adequate blood supply to this area. Therefore, most doctors only recommend surgery if there are signs of sickness or pain associated with the tumour.
What are the symptoms of a lemon seed ingestion?
Although ingesting a lemon seed is not likely to cause any serious health problems, you may experience some minor symptoms. These include mild stomach discomfort, bloating, and diarrhea.
If the lemon seed enters your digestive system, it will be expelled when you use the bathroom. Since it is so small, it will pass through your system without causing any trouble.
Although unlikely, if the seed was infected with a bacteria or fungus, it could cause infection in your gut. This would result in symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Since lemon seeds are so small and difficult to detect with the naked eye, it can be hard to know if you ingested one.
What should I do if I swallow a lemon seed?
If you have inadvertently swallowed a lemon seed, you should watch yourself for the next few days. You will need to pay special attention to your bowel movements.
If a lemon seed germinates in your digestive system, it will try to grow a plant. This can be uncomfortable and even dangerous if it cuts into your intestinal walls.
Digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are already common. If you did not ingest the lemon seed, there is no reason to think that you have IBS.
However, if you do notice changes in your bowel habits or pain, or if you see evidence of a plant in your bowel movement, go to the doctor immediately. They will check for internal plants and possibly do a colonoscopy to examine the entire colon.
Can it go through my digestive system without hurting me?
If the lemon seed does not get stuck in your digestive system, then you are free to go about your day. However, it is advised that you keep an eye on your stool for the next few weeks.
If the seed is not embedded in your gum, then it may be possible for it to come out in your stool. This would indicate that it has been absorbed by your body.
Since it takes a while for lemon seeds to germinate, you would want to watch for new growth in your bowel movement. If this happens, then please contact your doctor!
The worst case scenario is that the lemon seed gets stuck in your digestive system and causes a blockage or inflammation which could be very painful and possibly deadly.
Is it true that you can grow a tree from a seed swallowed in an accidental mouthful of drink?
Yes, this is true. A lemon seed is actually a very small embryo, known as a seed coat. This contains the lemon root, stem, and leaf.
You can plant the seed in a pot with soil, water it, and soon you will see the roots develop. Before you know it, you will have a tiny tree!
However, this only works if the shell or coating of the seed is not broken. If it is cracked or has holes in it, then the embryo cannot develop and the tree will not grow.
The key to successfully growing a tree from a swallowed lemon seed is to have planted it within 24 hours after swallowing. After that time period has passed, it becomes more difficult to establish the embryo and plant growth.
