Did a Native American Chokecherry Recipe Really Kill Cancer Cells? What the Science Fair Project Found

Did a high school student prove a Native American chokecherry recipe kills cancer? No. In a science fair project, Destany “Sky” Pete tested traditional Shoshone and Paiute chokecherry pudding, made with crushed pits, on uterine sarcoma cells in a lab dish for 24 hours. News stories reported the pudding killed cancer cells, but her own project abstract described only slight killing that was not significant. Chokecherry pits contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide, and amygdalin has failed in cancer trials.

The story of a Native American teenager connecting her community’s traditional food to cancer research is genuinely inspiring, and it drew wide attention in 2017. Pete, from the Duck Valley Indian Reservation on the Idaho–Nevada border, wanted to know whether the old way of preparing chokecherries, grinding the whole fruit including the seed, held medicinal value that modern preparations had lost. With help from a Boise State University biochemist, she tested several preparations on cancer cells. Headlines quickly claimed a forgotten recipe had been proven to kill cancer in 24 hours. This article looks at what the project actually found, why lab-dish results rarely translate to treatments, what science shows about the compound in chokecherry pits, and how chokecherries can be enjoyed safely.

What Did the Student’s Project Actually Test?

According to Indian Country Today, Pete, then a junior at Owyhee High School in Nevada, worked with her science teacher and Boise State University biochemistry professor Ken Cornell, who studies uterine sarcoma cells. She compared four preparations: traditional chokecherry pudding made with crushed seeds, chokecherry juice, blended patties, and pudding made without the seed. Each was diluted and added to cancer cells in laboratory plates for 24 hours. The project won recognition at regional fairs and took her to the International Science and Engineering Fair, where she competed against about 1,800 students from more than 75 countries.

What Did the Results Show?

Less than headlines claimed. A project abstract published by the Society for Science explains that Pete hypothesized the traditional preparation would inhibit cancer cell growth because it included the seed, which some research and traditional knowledge suggested had anticancer properties, including laetrile. The abstract reports a slight amount of killing in one well of one plate, but states it was not significant enough to show major anticancer properties, concluding that at the ratios tested the preparations were ineffective and that higher concentrations or other cancer cell types might be worth testing. That is a careful, honest conclusion for a student project. Some news coverage described the findings more enthusiastically, and many later websites went further, claiming the pudding killed cancer cells in 24 hours.

Why Do Lab-Dish Results Rarely Become Cancer Treatments?

Many substances kill cancer cells in a dish, including bleach, alcohol, and high concentrations of ordinary nutrients. The challenge is killing cancer inside a living body without harming healthy cells, at doses people can safely take, after the substance is digested, absorbed, and processed by the liver. Even promising compounds developed by drug companies usually fail along the way. A 2014 analysis in Nature Biotechnology by Michael Hay and colleagues tracked thousands of drug development programs and found cancer drugs had among the lowest chances of moving from early human trials to approval, with only a small single-digit percentage succeeding. A single 24-hour experiment on one cell type, whatever its result, is an early first step rather than evidence that a food treats cancer.

What Is in Chokecherry Pits?

Like the pits of apricots, peaches, plums, and bitter almonds, chokecherry seeds contain amygdalin, a natural compound that releases hydrogen cyanide when the seed is crushed and digested. Cyanide is the plant’s defense against being eaten. Traditional preparations often involved drying, pounding, or cooking chokecherries, steps that may reduce cyanide release, and they were eaten in modest amounts as part of a broader diet. Laetrile, a semi-synthetic relative of amygdalin, was heavily promoted in the 1970s as “vitamin B17,” a supposed cancer cure, despite the fact that it is not a vitamin. This history explains why the idea that chokecherry seeds fight cancer resonated with alternative medicine audiences.

Has Amygdalin or Laetrile Been Tested in Cancer Patients?

Yes, and it failed. A 1982 clinical trial in The New England Journal of Medicine by Charles Moertel and colleagues treated 178 cancer patients with amygdalin plus a “metabolic therapy” of diet, enzymes, and vitamins, using doses and schedules typical of laetrile practice. There was no substantive benefit in cure, tumor control, symptoms, or survival, and several patients showed symptoms of cyanide toxicity or blood cyanide levels approaching the lethal range. A 2015 Cochrane review by Stefanie Milazzo and Markus Horneber searched more than 200 references and found no studies meeting quality standards, concluding that claims of benefit are not supported by sound clinical data and that, given the risk of cyanide poisoning, the risk-benefit balance is unambiguously negative.

Can Eating Fruit Pits Cause Cyanide Poisoning?

Yes, especially in concentrated or raw forms. A 2015 case report in Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift by Sauer and colleagues described a 4-year-old boy with metastatic brain cancer who arrived at an emergency department unresponsive, with severe metabolic acidosis, after his parents gave him intravenous and oral amygdalin and apricot kernels as alternative treatment. He recovered rapidly after receiving a cyanide antidote. Health agencies in several countries have warned against eating raw apricot kernels and similar seeds. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, rapid breathing, and in severe cases seizures, loss of consciousness, and death. Children are especially vulnerable because of their small body size.

Are Chokecherries Nutritious?

Yes. Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) are small, astringent, dark red to black fruits that grow wild across much of North America. They are rich in polyphenols such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, which give them their deep color and antioxidant activity. A 2020 study in Molecules by Tellez-Perez and colleagues measured antioxidant compounds in chokecherries preserved in different ways and found that freezing and a gentle drying method preserved total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity better than conventional hot-air drying. Antioxidant measurements in the lab do not prove health benefits in people, but they show chokecherries are a nutrient-dense fruit worth keeping in traditional and modern diets.

Why Does Eating More Fruit Matter?

Whole fruits and vegetables have well-established health benefits, even if no single fruit cures cancer. A 2021 study in Circulation by Dong Wang and colleagues found that eating about five servings of fruits and vegetables a day was associated with lower risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease, with benefits plateauing around five servings. Berries and other richly colored fruits contribute fiber, vitamins, and polyphenols. Traditional foods such as chokecherries can be part of meeting these goals.

How Can Chokecherries Be Eaten Safely?

The fruit flesh is safe and is commonly made into jams, jellies, syrups, juices, and wine, usually after removing pits by cooking and straining. Traditional dried and pounded preparations that include seeds have been eaten for generations, typically in small amounts, but modern advice is to avoid eating raw crushed pits in quantity, to never give them to young children, and to avoid concentrated seed products or supplements. Leaves, bark, and wilted leaves of chokecherry trees are also high in cyanide-producing compounds and are toxic to livestock. People who want to honor traditional recipes can work with knowledgeable elders and modern food safety information to prepare them in ways that preserve culture while minimizing risk.

Why Does This Story Still Matter?

Because it touches on something important. Many Native American communities face high rates of diabetes, heart disease, and other diet-related illnesses, linked in part to the loss of traditional food systems through land loss, forced relocation, and federal food programs that replaced traditional foods with processed commodities. Efforts to revive traditional foods, often called food sovereignty, aim to improve health and strengthen culture. Pete’s project reflected that goal, and young Indigenous scientists studying their communities’ foods are valuable. Respecting that work means describing its results accurately rather than inflating them into cancer-cure claims.

How Do Common Claims About Chokecherry Compare With the Evidence?

Claim	What the evidence shows
“Kills cancer cells in 24 hours”	One student project abstract reported no significant effect at tested concentrations
“The seed is the medicine”	Seeds contain amygdalin; trials of amygdalin and laetrile found no benefit and cyanide risks
“Chokecherries are antioxidant-rich”	True for the fruit; health effects in people not specifically tested
“Traditional foods support health”	Diets rich in whole fruits and vegetables are linked to lower mortality
“Vitamin B17 prevents cancer”	Amygdalin is not a vitamin, and no evidence supports this

Is Chokecherry the Same as Chokeberry or Aronia?

No, though many online articles mix them up. Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a wild cherry in the rose family with a hard pit, while chokeberry, often sold as aronia (Aronia melanocarpa and related species), is a different shrub whose small berries contain tiny seeds rather than a stone pit. Aronia is marketed as a superfood and has been studied in laboratory and small human studies for antioxidant and cardiovascular effects. Some websites covering the chokecherry science fair project illustrated it with aronia photos or cited aronia research as if it applied to chokecherries. Mixing up the two plants is another example of how claims become distorted as they spread online.

Which Other Foods Contain Amygdalin?

Amygdalin and related cyanide-releasing compounds are found in the seeds of many fruits in the rose family, including apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, apples, and bitter almonds, as well as in cassava root, lima beans, and flaxseed in smaller or different forms. Eating the flesh of these fruits is safe, and accidentally swallowing a few whole apple or cherry seeds is unlikely to cause harm because intact seeds pass through the digestive tract. Problems arise when seeds are crushed, ground, or eaten in large amounts, especially apricot kernels sold as health products. Sweet almonds sold in stores contain very little amygdalin compared with bitter almonds.

How Can Families Talk About Alternative Cancer Treatments?

When a loved one has cancer, families often search for anything that might help, and stories about natural cures can feel like hope. Open, nonjudgmental conversations work better than dismissing these interests. Ask what the person hopes the remedy will do, look together at the evidence, and bring questions to the oncology team, many of which have integrative medicine services that can discuss safe complementary approaches such as nutrition, exercise, and symptom relief. The most important message is that complementary approaches should support, not replace, effective treatment, and that some remedies, like amygdalin, can cause serious harm.

How Can You Evaluate “Food Kills Cancer” Headlines?

Ask a few questions. Was the study done in cells, in animals, or in people? Did it compare the food with a control and report statistical significance? Has it been published in a peer-reviewed journal and repeated by other researchers? What dose was used, and could a person realistically eat that much safely? Does the claim suggest replacing proven treatment? Similar headlines have surrounded many foods, from vegetable juices to medicinal mushrooms and cannabis oil. Some show interesting early findings, but none replaces standard cancer care.

Why Do Inflated Health Claims Spread So Easily?

Stories that combine an inspiring person, a traditional remedy, and a dramatic number such as “24 hours” are highly shareable. Each retelling tends to drop qualifiers like “in a lab dish,” “not significant,” or “more research is needed,” and some websites add claims from unrelated studies to make the story more convincing. Health misinformation research has found that false or exaggerated claims often spread faster than corrections because they are more novel and emotionally engaging. Checking the original source, in this case the student’s own project abstract, is often the quickest way to see what was actually found. Doing so is not a dismissal of traditional knowledge; it is a way of taking it seriously enough to test it carefully.

Common Myths

“A student proved chokecherry pudding cures cancer.” Her published abstract reported no significant effect in a short lab test.

“Killing cancer cells in a dish means a cure.” Most compounds that kill cells in a dish fail in people.

“Amygdalin is vitamin B17.” It is not a vitamin, and the body does not need it.

“Natural seeds can’t poison you.” Amygdalin releases cyanide; poisonings have occurred.

“Traditional foods have no value without proof they cure disease.” Traditional fruits are nutritious and culturally important even without miracle claims.

Key Terms

Chokecherry: Prunus virginiana, a wild North American cherry traditionally used by many Native nations.

Amygdalin: A compound in many fruit pits that releases cyanide when broken down.

Laetrile: A semi-synthetic form related to amygdalin, promoted as an unproven cancer treatment.

In vitro: Experiments done outside a living organism, such as in a lab dish.

Food sovereignty: Communities’ right to define and control their own food systems.

The Bottom Line

A Shoshone-Paiute high school student’s project testing traditional chokecherry pudding on uterine sarcoma cells drew headlines claiming a forgotten recipe kills cancer in 24 hours. Her own published abstract described only slight, non-significant killing at the concentrations tested. The ingredient that inspired the idea, the seed, contains amygdalin, the basis of laetrile, which failed in a 178-patient trial, lacks reliable evidence in a Cochrane review, and can cause cyanide poisoning. Chokecherry fruit is nutritious and culturally meaningful, and revitalizing traditional foods has real value, but no food should replace cancer treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does chokecherry pudding kill cancer cells?

There is no good evidence that it does. A student project tested traditional chokecherry pudding on uterine sarcoma cells for 24 hours, and the published abstract reported only slight killing that was not significant at the concentrations tested. Even a positive lab-dish result would not show that eating the pudding treats cancer in people.

Are chokecherry pits poisonous?

They can be. Chokecherry pits, like apricot and peach pits, contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide when crushed and digested. Eating large amounts of raw crushed pits, especially for children, can cause cyanide poisoning. The cooked and strained fruit is safe, and traditional preparations were eaten in modest amounts.

What is laetrile or vitamin B17?

Laetrile is a semi-synthetic compound related to amygdalin from fruit pits, promoted since the 1970s as a cancer cure and marketed as vitamin B17, though it is not a vitamin. A 1982 trial of 178 patients found no benefit and signs of cyanide toxicity, and a Cochrane review concluded its risk-benefit balance is unambiguously negative.

Are chokecherries healthy to eat?

Yes. Chokecherry fruit is rich in polyphenols such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, and it has been an important traditional food for many Native nations. It is commonly made into jams, syrups, and juices after removing pits. Like other colorful fruits, it can be part of a healthy, plant-rich diet.

Who is Destany “Sky” Pete?

She is a member of the Shoshone and Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation who, as a high school student, studied traditional chokecherry preparations with help from a Boise State University biochemist and reached the International Science and Engineering Fair. Her work reflected interest in reviving traditional foods to improve community health.

References

1. Moertel CG, Fleming TR, Rubin J, et al. A clinical trial of amygdalin (Laetrile) in the treatment of human cancer. New England Journal of Medicine. 1982;306(4):201–206. PMID 7033783
2. Milazzo S, Horneber M. Laetrile treatment for cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015;(4):CD005476. PMID 25918920
3. Sauer H, Wollny C, Oster I, et al. Severe cyanide poisoning from an alternative medicine treatment with amygdalin and apricot kernels in a 4-year-old child. Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift. 2015;165(9–10):185–188. PMID 25605411
4. Téllez-Pérez C, Cardador-Martínez A, Tejada-Ortigoza V, et al. Antioxidant content of frozen, convective air-dried, freeze-dried, and swell-dried chokecherries (Prunus virginiana L.). Molecules. 2020;25(5):1190. PMID 32155801
5. Hay M, Thomas DW, Craighead JL, et al. Clinical development success rates for investigational drugs. Nature Biotechnology. 2014;32(1):40–51. PMID 24406927
6. Wang DD, Li Y, Bhupathiraju SN, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality: results from 2 prospective cohort studies of US men and women and a meta-analysis of 26 cohort studies. Circulation. 2021;143(17):1642–1654. PMID 33641343
7. Pete D. Toishabui medicine. Society for Science project abstract. societyforscience.org
8. Indian Country Today. Bringing science and culture together: chokecherry pudding. ictnews.org

Last updated: October 10, 2026