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r Apples
Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Low
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: None
Carbohydrates: High
Fiber: High
Sodium: Low (fresh or dried fruit)
High (dried fruit treated with sodium sulfur compounds)
Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin C
Major mineral contribution: PotassiumAbout the Nutrients in This Food
Apples are a high-fiber fruit with insoluble cellulose and lignin in the
peel and soluble pectins in the flesh. Their most important vitamin is
vitamin C.
One fresh apple, 2.5 inches in diameter, has 2.4 g dietary fiber and 4.6
mg vitamin C (6 percent of the RDA for a woman, 5 percent of the RDA
for a man).
The sour taste of all immature apples (and some varieties, even when
ripe) comes from malic acid. As an apple ripens, the amount of malic acid
declines and the apple becomes sweeter.
Apple seeds contain amygdalin, a naturally occurring cyanide/sugar
compound that degrades into hydrogen cyanide. While accidentally swal-
lowing an apple seed once in a while is not a serious hazard for an adult,
cases of human poisoning after eating apple seeds have been reported, and
swallowing only a few seeds may be lethal for a child.The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food
Fresh and unpared, to take advantage of the fiber in the peel and preserve
the vitamin C, which is destroyed by the heat of cooking.