Cherry Pits in the Vita Mix?

[LainaV]

Does anyone know if cherry pits are okay to eat? I couldn't resist getting a huge bunch of Rainier cherries yesterday when I was shopping and was wondering if I could just throw the whole cherry in the Vita Mix - pit, stem and all? Or are they filled with cyanide or some other such lovely substance?

Is anyone else having "Witches of Eastwick" visions reading this post? :D

[HolyGuacamole]

You know, I only buy a few fresh cherries because organically grown they are just astronomically expensive, but I go through LOTS of frozen organic cherries in my green smoothies and there are always a few lingering pits in there which get broken up into tiny little chunks in the Vitamix.
I never thought about whether or not there were any toxic substances lurking within.
I did find this:
http://chemistry.about.com/b/2007/09/12/yes-apple-seeds-and-cherry-pits-are-poisonous.htm
...but I am not worried about my teeny consumption of them.
I wouldn't, though, go out of my way to eat them. :P

[LainaV]

Yeesh! Good info! Yeah, I rarely buy them but I can't resist when Rainier cherries come out :D Thanks!

[spicyfull]

I don't think that seed can be pulverized.

[jurence]

Cherry pits, apricot pits, plum pits and apple seeds are all toxic. Apricots and plums being the most, but i wouldn't worry about that unless you eat them whole. Cherry pits I would avoid, but wouldn't be shaking over anything. Apple seeds... well... unless you are 25 pounds, no harm done.

[HolyGuacamole]

I don't think that seed can be pulverized.

They seem to in my green smoothies - the longer I let the VM run, the littler they get.
I still have to spit them out 'cause they're just like little tiny pebbles in my drink, though.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

I think whole cherry pits in the VM might wreck it. Maybe not, though. I just know that when I bought mine, the instructions and the salesperson both warned not to put fruit stones in there.

[HolyGuacamole]

Thanks for the warning.
In my case, these are pieces that are left over by the machines that do the mechanical pitting, and I don't think they are going to ruin it, but that's a good caveat against intentionally putting whole fruit stones in the vitamix.