Ginkgo seeds usage
You have a wonderful web site, there is so much to explore, which I'm enjoying very much. I have been making my own tinctures from the leaves of the Gingko trees in my area. I would see Chinese people picking up the berries but never knew what they were good for. In the past few days I did a Google search and found out what the berries are good for.
A friend told me that the berries could kill you, so I asked a young Chinese fellow that runs his Mothers health food store, what are Gingko berries good for? He seemed to get excited and told me a number of things, including how to crack the nut to get at the seed. He also told me that if you eat 6 Gingko seeds a day you will live to 100 years old.
There are lots of Gingko trees here in New York City and I have been collecting all that I can carry. The first time that I removed the pulp in my sink with my bear hands the next day my hands felt very rough and a thin layer of skin started to peal off, so the next time I followed the advice and put on rubber gloves, which solved the problem. However, I think there must be something good that the pulp can be used for. I will go back to your web site and see if you have any information on what the pulp might be good for. If you can give me a lead I'd appreciate it. I'm very excited about the Gingko seeds. I've been eating 6 a day and added a few to my vegetables. I'm going to your web site and see what else I can find out.
Thanks for providing this information.
Topic sent by Ken, New York
posted by Cor Kwant @ 12/05/2005
10 Comments:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/
consumer/poison/Ginkgbi.htm
This website has more information, I read for instance this:
EDIBLE PARTS: The seed, freed of the outer pulp and washed, is boiled or roasted and eaten in the Orient and also available in Asian food stores.
Bob
Hi Ken, you're a lucky person to have the opportunity to collect so many seeds!
On my homepage (Usage-page) I write more about them, please read more there. Don't eat them raw.
When eaten the inner seed can cause food poisoning -especially with children- caused by MPN ( 4-methoxypyridoxine) when seeds are eaten for a long period and/or in large quantities (over 5 seeds a day). MPN is heat-stable. Studies have demonstrated that convulsions caused by MPN can be prevented or terminated with pyridoxine.
When cooked they are edible for about 6 months if stored in the freezer.
I knew nothing about ginkgo. Thanks for making the information available. ...Z
GOD BLESS YOU COR
I want to thank you for providing this wonderful web site and thank you for the information on the proper way to prepare Ginkgo seed for eating.
One of my daughters lives in Arizona and when I told her that I had been collecting Ginkgo seeds and eating them raw and I also told her about what happened when I squeezed the berries with my hands and the next day a thin layer of skin started to peal off my hands. She asked me if I would send her some seeds and some un-squeezed berries because she wanted to try some experiments with the pulp because there must be something good that it can be used for and I agreed.
I went out and collected more berries, bagged them up in a number of plastic bags so they would not smell through the package and added two small bags of seeds and sent them to her by next day mail.
She removed the shell from one of the seeds and had eaten it raw and the next day she had a complete cleansing if you know what I mean. She also told me (what you told me Cor) that I should cook the seed before eating them, which I will begin to do, I thank both of you.
I also collect the seeds from a nearby tree and this year have collected about 900 to 1000 seeds. I eat one or two a day raw because I think I read somewhere they would help male potency and we need all the help we can get at 63.
Re: the seed coat, I cleaned all my seeds with a bare hand and had no problems. Two years ago when cleaning the seeds I squeezed all the pulp and collected the liquid. It is high in Butyric acid which does have some uses. I think it is used in a beekeeping product called "Bee-gone" which when the bees are exposed to it they remove themselves from an area so that the honey frames can be taken fairly safely. It also has some vindictive uses.
John
I want to let you know about my website. I sell Ginkgo seeds. I believe it is of great interest for gardeners. http://www.rarexoticseeds.com
The website is also informative with a description of each plant and germination tips.
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great website!! my grandma used to pick it and she would prepare them in such a tasty way and I want to continue on with the tradition.
do you know which parks tend to have a lot of the ginko trees? I have seen pictures of these trees but I want to try to find them where they are mainly at. any advice would be great thank you!!
I have a question. I have bought some ginkgo nuts which had been imported from China. As well as eating some of them, I'd like to plant most of the others and transplant them to various locations. My question is, do you think the nuts might have been irradiated to prevent them from sprouting? I lived in Japan for many years and harvested a lot of the nuts (I am not Japanese), and as I recall, I planted them after washing them off, and they grew.
I did not realize that the ginkgo is an endangered species, and would not mind doing all I can do to plant them in various locations, particularly in the North Carolina foothills.
Any ideas?
Robert
I have both a male and female tree and the female is extremely productive! Do you know of anyone in the Indiana area that would like to have my berries? There are literally thousands that will drop over the next few months. They are free to whomever would like to pick them up!
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