Is It Safe To Eat Tomato Seeds? - Tasting Table

"Despite what you might have heard, tomato seeds are perfectly digestible. While their outer coating is tough, your stomach acid breaks it down easily, allowing your body to access the nutrients tucked inside. In a 2022 study published in Horticulturae, scientists found that tomato seeds were loaded with everything from proteins to minerals and vitamins, such that they were advocated for use as a "functional food ingredient." Needless to say, there wouldn't be such glowing recommendations if the seeds were toxic to eat."

"Like any beloved ingredient, tomatoes have collected their fair share of myths over the years. Some misconceptions are harmless - like the eternal debate over whether tomatoes are vegetables (they're botanically fruits, but eaten as vegetables) - but others are more concerning. One persistent myth claims that tomato seeds are toxic and must be removed, else they'd cause stomach problems ranging from sticking to your intestines to appendicitis and kidney stones."

"There's really no record of when and how exactly this myth came to be. It's likely an offshoot of the popular myth in which if you were to swallow a fruit seed, it'd grow into a tree in your stomach. But whatever the case, feel free to keep these teeny seeds in the next time you make an heirloom tomato salad. They even add charm to the dish, lined up like tiny pearls in each slice!"

Tomato seeds are edible and easily digested because stomach acid breaks down their outer coating, allowing nutrient absorption. A 2022 Horticulturae study found tomato seeds contain proteins, minerals, and vitamins, and recommended their use as a functional food ingredient. A persistent myth claims seeds are toxic and cause intestinal problems, appendicitis, or kidney stones, but there is no evidence supporting these harms. The myth likely stems from older notions that swallowed seeds would grow in the stomach or from historical tomato fear tied to lead-contaminated plates. Tiny seeds can remain in dishes and contribute flavor and texture. Some parts of the tomato plant are unsafe to eat.

Read at Tasting Table