A cherry is the perfect way to finish a dessert, but did you know it might also finish your life?

That's right, the iconic dessert fruit is actually poisonous, or at least part of it is.

Cherry pits, like apple seeds, contain cyanide - the infamous poison.

It's rare, but illness is known to have happened, and even some deaths have been reported. Including a US President.

Zachary Taylor, 12th president of the United States, took ill after visiting the construction site of the Washington Monument. He spent the day in good health, commenting that he was "very hungry" and ate freely of cherries and other berries. During dinner he ate yet more cherries.

By the evening he took gravely ill and despite the best help available died days later.

Many think he was poisoned, others say it was an unknown illness. His symptoms do line up with cyanide poisoning however, whether that be from an assassin or from the cherries we may never know.

Scientist say you'd have to consume several kilograms of cherries to kill you, but it wouldn't take as much to start upsetting your stomach.

Food for thought next time you're ordering dessert!