Can Iron Tree Fruit be Consumed: Benefits, Toxicity, and Precautions

Iron tree fruit is the seed of the Yunnan suet tree and is a common ornamental plant in many scenic areas. Although iron tree fruit has high medicinal value, it is also highly toxic, so it should not be consumed casually!

Can Iron Tree Fruit be Eaten?

Can iron tree fruit be eaten? This is a question that many people have. Although iron tree fruit has anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effects, eating it raw cannot provide the desired effects and can instead cause poisoning.

"Iron trees blooming" is not a difficult task. After the female iron tree blooms, it may bear fruit, but the fruit is toxic and should not be consumed directly.

Iron trees have separate male and female plants. Male flowers are cylindrical, while female flowers are hemispherical. Female flowers can bear fruit with the pollination of male flowers.

Strictly speaking, what residents see as chestnut-sized nuts on iron trees are not "fruits" but "seeds," which can be directly used to cultivate seedlings.

However, it is important to note that iron tree seeds are toxic and should not be consumed directly. Ingesting a certain amount can even cause suffocation and death.

Benefits and Effects of Iron Tree Fruit

1. Expectorant and cough suppressant

Iron tree fruit, also known as phoenix eggs or fairy rice, can eliminate dampness and turbidity, invigorate the spleen, and relieve cough. It can be used to treat common diseases such as human enteritis, dysentery, indigestion, and bronchitis. To treat these conditions, a suitable amount of iron tree fruit can be boiled in water and taken orally.

2. Hemostatic and dissolving blood clots

After being used medicinally, iron tree fruit can also relieve pain, stop bleeding, and dissolve blood clots. When people experience bruises and swelling from injuries, applying crushed fresh iron tree fruit directly to the affected area can quickly alleviate the symptoms.

Additionally, when people experience external bleeding, dry iron tree fruit can be ground into powder and applied directly to the wound to quickly stop pain and bleeding.

Toxicity of Iron Tree Fruit

1. Carcinogenic

Although iron tree fruit is a medicinal herb with high value, it also has a certain level of toxicity, especially carcinogenicity.

Iron tree fruit contains a large amount of natural saponins, which are natural carcinogens. When these substances enter the human body, they can burden the liver and kidneys and promote the generation of carcinogens, significantly increasing the incidence of cancer.

2. Neurotoxicity

Iron tree fruit is highly toxic. After ingestion, this toxicity can directly affect human nerves, causing nerve paralysis and muscle atrophy.

In addition, people may experience symptoms of poisoning such as dizziness, vomiting, and abdominal pain after consuming iron tree fruit. In such cases, consumption should be stopped, and if symptoms are severe, immediate medical treatment should be sought.