• Apricot kernels contain the highest concentration of vitamin B17.abricots image by Claudio Calcagno from Fotolia.com
  
  Vitamin B17 is also known as amygdalin, a compound that is metabolized by the body into cyanide. Laetrile is the purified version of amygdalin. Laetrile has received some publicity as a cancer-fighting compound; however, there is little evidence to support laetrile as a treatment for cancer. Still, many cancer patients hope to find a miracle cure in plants with high concentrations of vitamin B17.
  
  

Fruit Pits and Berries

• The pits of many fruits contain vitamin B17 naturally. B17 occurs in high concentrations of 2 to 3 percent in the seeds and pits of apricots, cherries, oranges, papaya, apples, nectarines, peaches and plums. Blackberries, boysenberries, elderberries, gooseberries, loganberries, mulberries, huckleberries and raspberries have medium to high concentrations of B17. Only wild berries are a good source. Domesticated plants have low concentrations because cross-breeding eliminated the amygdalin.
  
  

Legumes

• Legumes are also an excellent source of vitamin B17. Fava beans contain the highest concentration of B17. Lima beans, lentils, kidney and garbanzo beans are also rich in vitamin B17.
  
  

Additional Sources

• Bitter almond and macadamia nuts have high concentrations of vitamin B17, as well as bamboo sprouts, wheat grass, eucalyptus and alfalfa leaves. Also good sources of amygdalin are cashews, spinach and watercress leaves, sweet potatoes and yams.