Minerals
| with skin | peeled | |
| Calcium | 7.5 mg | 5.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 6.3 mg | 4.4 mg |
| Phosphorus | 13.8 mg | 12.1 mg |
| Potassium | 134 mg | 99.0 mg |
| Sodium | 1.3 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Zinc | 0.0 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Copper | 0.0 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Manganese | 0.0 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Selenium | 0.0 mcg | 0.0 mgc |
| Fluoride | 4.1 mcg | - |
Vitamins
| with skin | peeled | |
| Vitamin A | 67.5 IU | 41.8 IU |
| Vitamin C | 5.7 mg | 4.4 mg |
| Vitamin D | - | - |
| Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) | 0.2 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin K | 2.8 mcg | 0.7 mcg |
| Thiamin | 0.0 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.0 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Niacin | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Folate | 3.6 mcg | 0.0 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.0 mcg | 0.0 mcg |
| Pantothenic Acid | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Choline | 4.2 mg | 3.7 mg |
| Betaine | 0.1 mg | - |
Sterols
| with skin | peeled | |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Phytosterols | 15.0 mg | - |
Fatty acids
| with skin | peeled | |
| Saturated | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Monounsaturated | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.1g | 0.0 g |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 11.2 mg | 7.7 mg |
| Omega 6 fatty acids | 53.8 mg | 34.1 mg |
Amino Acids
| with skin | peeled | |
Tryptophan | 1.3 mg | 1.1 mg |
Threonine | 7.5 mg | 6.6 mg |
Isoleucine | 7.5 mg | 6.6 mg |
Leucine | 16.3 mg | 15.4 mg |
Lysine | 15.0 mg | 14.3 mg |
Methionine | 1.3 mg | 1.1 mg |
Cystine | 1.3 mg | 1.1 mg |
Phenylalanine | 7.5 mg | 7.7 mg |
Tyrosine | 1.3 mg | 1.1 mg |
Valine | 15.0 mg | 13.2 mg |
Arginine | 7.5 mg | 6.6 mg |
Histidine | 6.3 mg | 5.5 mg |
Alanine | 13.8 mg | 13.2 mg |
Aspartic acid | 87.5 mg | 81.4 mg |
Glutamic acid | 31.2 mg | 28.6 mg |
Glycine | 11.2 mg | 9.9 mg |
Proline | 7.5 mg | 6.6 mg |
Serine | 12.5 mg | 12.1 mg |
Hydroxyproline |
Source: Self Nutrition Data
Amounts Per 125g
Not that this isn't an impressive list. But why is it so much shorter?
Is it because not all the compounds present are worthy of measuring? They don't do anything so why worry about them? What if that is a wrong assumption? What if the apple's mojo is hiding between the lines of the nutrient list?
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Would you agree?
We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us; that's because of all the vitamins they contain, right? Is, then, taking a vitamin pill the same as eating an apple? (And let's, for the moment, pretend that the pill would contain the vitamins exactly as they are found in the fruit)
Perhaps it isn't the same thing. Perhaps the vitamin supplements are missing some important stuff.
Beside the nutrients listed above, an apple is full of phytochemicals.
What the heck is that? Phytochemicals are non-nutritive chemicals found in plants. Aha! Non-nutritive, that's why they're not listed in the nutrient profiles then. If they are non-nutritive, why would we care about them?
Is there more to nutrition than nutrients?
While phytochemicals are not nutrients in the traditional sense, they can do some pretty cool stuff. Many of them are powerful antioxidants; they protect cells against oxidative damage. Some of them protect cells from pathogens, and other cool things.
Apple phytochemicals can
- decrease risk of chronic diseases
- reduce risk of cancer
- inhibit cancer cell proliferation
- regulate inflammatory and immune response
- reduce risk of cardiovascular disease
- increase lung function
- reduce risk of type II diabetes
- assist with weight management
Some research seems to show that they can fight the effects of aging on the brain, might prevent cataracts, regulate intestinal bacteria and even help protect against asthma. French researchers found that a compound found only in apples may protect from osteoporosis and may increase bone density.
The non-nutrient compounds seem to have some pretty strong mojo, don't you think?
Interesting note: nearly all of the antioxidant activity from apples comes from variety of compounds other than vitamin C, which contributed less than 0.4% of total antioxidant activity.
Another interesting note, and my grandma knew this: there is more antioxidant and cancer inhibiting mojo in the apple peels than in apple flesh.
By no means I mean to say that nutrients are not important, they certainly are.
But perhaps by simply counting nutrients we are missing an important point.
I believe that regardless of how we choose to look at it, both, animals and ourselves, evolved in synergy with our food source, whatever that might be.
The question then is, how far can counting selected nutrients and omitting the rest take us?
It's your dog's health,
Jana
Further reading:
Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits
Related articles:
The Whole Food Philosophy And The Tale Of A Giant Sugar Beet
"Natural" With Regard To Dog Nutrition (Part I): What Does It Mean And Does It Matter?