Ginkgo Nuts: Nutrients, What Research Shows and Safety

Ginkgo nuts are the seeds of the ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba, family Ginkgoaceae). The tree is a "living fossil" and is not a flowering plant, so the seed is not a true nut. The part eaten is the soft, cream-colored kernel inside a hard shell, which sits under a fleshy, smelly outer layer. Ginkgo kernels are cooked in East Asian dishes such as soups, congee and desserts. This page is about the seed as food. It is not about ginkgo leaf extract capsules, which are a different product with different research (see ginkgo (herb page)).

Read this first

• Ginkgo seeds can cause seizures. They contain a natural toxin, ginkgotoxin (4'-O-methylpyridoxine), that interferes with vitamin B6. Poisoning is reported mostly after eating many seeds, and children are the most at risk. [3][4][7] If someone has a seizure, vomiting with confusion, or loses consciousness after eating ginkgo seeds, call 911 (or your local emergency number). In the US, Poison Help is 1-800-222-1222.
• Cooking lowers the toxin but does not remove it, because it is heat-stable. Raw or unripe seeds are described as more toxic. [3][4]
• The fleshy outer layer and the tree contain ginkgolic acids that can cause allergic skin reactions. [13]
• Honest summary: ginkgo seeds are a starchy, low-fat food with some copper and B vitamins in USDA data. We found no good trials showing a health benefit from eating them, and safety reports are the main body of research.

What is in it (USDA values)

USDA lists two items: raw and dried ginkgo nuts, shelled. The USDA household portion is 1 ounce (28.35 g) for both. [1][2] The per-ounce columns below are the dried-item per-100 g values scaled to 28.35 g. For the raw item, 1 ounce is about 52 kcal (182 kcal per 100 g). [1]

Source: USDA FoodData Central, items 170584 (raw) and 170175 (dried), SR Legacy. [1][2] % Daily Value uses the FDA 2016 Daily Values; values vary with variety, growing place, cooking and storage. USDA lists no fiber, vitamin E or selenium value for these items, so we make no claim about them. Ginkgo nuts are mostly starch: the dried item is 72 g carbohydrate per 100 g and only 2 g fat. [2]

Vitamin B6 in the food versus the toxin. The food does contain some B6 by USDA, but the toxin works against the active form of B6 in the body (see safety below). The B6 on the nutrition label does not protect against the toxin. [6][7]

Plant compounds. Reviews describe ginkgotoxin, its glucoside, ginkgolic acids (alkylphenols), an allergenic protein and cyanide-releasing compounds in the seed. [11][12] These are described as toxic or allergenic compounds, not as benefits. The antioxidant flavonoids that are discussed for ginkgo are mainly studied in leaf extracts, which is lab and human research on a different product.

What research says

Eaten as food vs taken as extract. Results for ginkgo leaf extract (the form used in most trials) do not carry over to the seed, and seed hazards do not describe the leaf extract. The NIH says fresh seeds are toxic, and that serious side effects have occurred after people ate roasted seeds or crude plant material, while leaf extract is likely safe for most adults in moderate amounts. [14]

How much is a normal serving

There is no official safe serving for ginkgo seeds. The Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety says there is no health-based guidance value for ginkgotoxin, that the toxin has not been evaluated by the joint FAO/WHO food additives committee (JECFA), and that Codex has no standard. Its consumer advice is to eat only a few cooked seeds a day at most, with extra care for children, older people and people in poor health. [3] The only figures we found are from Hong Kong health authorities, who say that eating as few as 10 cooked seeds at once may cause acute poisoning and that 10 to 50 cooked seeds at one time have caused it. [3][4] That is information about reported poisoning, not a recommended amount. The USDA household portion is 1 ounce (28.35 g), about 99 kcal for the dried item. [2]

Safety, allergy and medicines

• Ginkgotoxin and seizures. Ginkgo seeds contain ginkgotoxin (4'-O-methylpyridoxine, MPN), its glucoside and cyanogenic glycosides. MPN looks like vitamin B6 and disrupts its function, which is thought to lower the calming brain chemical GABA and raise glutamate, and so lead to seizures. [3] Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, confusion and convulsions. Severe cases can involve loss of consciousness and death. [3] The Hong Kong Department of Health says symptoms usually start 1 to 12 hours after eating, and that children are especially vulnerable. [4] There is no antidote. Treatment is mainly to relieve symptoms, [3] although case reports describe seizures stopping after the active form of vitamin B6 was given by a doctor. [5][8][9] This is hospital care, not something to try at home.
• Case reports in children. A 2-year-old girl had a fever-type convulsion about 9 hours after eating many ginkgo seeds; her blood level of the toxin was high and treatment with the active B6 form may have prevented more seizures. [5] Another 2-year-old had repeated convulsions after eating 20 to 30 seeds; her blood and spinal fluid showed high toxin and a low ratio of active to inactive B6. [6] A Japanese review covering reports from Asia, North America and Europe describes tonic-clonic convulsions and vomiting and treatment with B6. [7]
• Case reports in adults. A 48-year-old man had several generalized seizures after eating too many ginkgo nuts, with high toxin and low active B6 levels; oral active B6 resolved his symptoms. [8] A 64-year-old woman had vomiting and seizures about 9.5 hours after eating 50 roasted seeds with 100 g of alcohol; the authors suggest alcohol may have delayed onset. [9] In Hong Kong, a 57-year-old man was in intensive care in 2023 after eating about 50 seeds boiled in soup. [4]
• How common? We did not find a source giving how often poisoning happens per seed eaten. The 2026 review shows ginkgo seed is among the largest causes of serious seed-related adverse events, mostly in children or after excess. [10]
• Cooking. Cooking reduces toxicity but does not remove it, because MPN is heat-stable. [3] Lab papers describe special processing (ultrasound, microwave, enzymes) to remove the toxin, but that is research, not a home method. [11]
• Allergy and skin reactions. Direct or indirect contact with the ginkgo tree can cause allergic contact dermatitis (red bumps, blisters and swelling on exposed skin), attributed to ginkgolic acids. [13] A review describes the seed as containing "toxic and allergenic alkylphenols," [12] and another lists an allergenic glycoprotein among the seed's problem compounds. [11] A cosmetic-ingredient expert panel flagged ginkgolic acid as a concern, advising makers to keep it low. [15] We did not find a source we could read on how common food allergy to ginkgo seed is, or on whether it cross-reacts with poison ivy or with tree nut allergy, so we make no claim: Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. Handle the fleshy outer layer with care. For trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call 911. See food allergy basics and emergency signs.
• Medicines. NIH says ginkgo (leaf extract) may raise bleeding risk with anticoagulants such as warfarin and may interact with other medicines. [14] That statement is about the supplement; we did not find a source on seed food and medicines, so ask a pharmacist. See foods and medicine interactions.
• Vitamin B6 supplements. A vitamin B6 pill is not a safe fix. The case reports used the active form (pyridoxal phosphate) under medical care. [5][8] Do not self-treat; seek emergency care.
• Pregnancy. NIH says ginkgo may be unsafe in pregnancy and, near delivery, might cause early labor or extra bleeding; little is known about breastfeeding. [14] That is about the supplement. Proper evidence not found for seeds as food in pregnancy.
• Young children. Poisoning reports are mostly in small children, [4][5][6][10] so we advise caution; ask a pediatrician. See foods for babies and toddlers.
• Calories. Ginkgo nuts are not an energy-dense nut: about 99 kcal per ounce for the dried item and 52 kcal for raw. [1][2]

Choosing, storing and food safety

• Hong Kong food-safety advice to sellers and consumers: cook seeds before eating, do not eat them raw, and remind customers not to eat more than a few seeds a day, especially when selling in bulk. [3]
• Seek medical help right away if you feel ill after eating ginkgo seeds. [3][4]
• We did not read a source on storing ginkgo seeds; see the general guide on storing nuts and seeds.

Related pages

• Ginkgo (herb page: leaf extract, bleeding and what trials found)
• Nut and seed allergy basics
• Food allergy basics and emergency signs
• Foods and medicine interactions
• Foods for babies and toddlers: choking, honey and allergens
• Chestnuts