APPLES AS FOOD 



27 



Table 16. — Composition of Apple Powder 



(American Medical Association, 1939) 



Moisture 2.0 



Total solids -... - 98.0 



Ash ..._ - 1.8 



Fat (ether extract)... 2.5 



Protein (N x 6.25) ...- 1.5 



Crude fiber.. 6.7 



Reducing sugars (before inversion..) 52.0 



Sucrose 17.1 



Pectin (alcohol precipitate).. 5.2 



Uronic acids... 9.2 



Total carbohydrates (by difference) 84.1 



Tannin and coloring matter 1.4 



Total sulfurous acid 0.01 



Total acidity (as nialic) 2.9 



pH 3.5 



Alkalinity of ash, equivalent to 240 cc. of 0.1 N acid/100 gm. powder. 



Sodium - 0.11 



Potassium 0.87 



Calcium 0.015 



Magnesium ...-. 0.029 



Copper 0.0008 



Iron.. 0.0125 



Phosphorus 0.0014 



Chloride 0.216 



Total sulfur 0.137 



Silica (SiOs)... -- 0.01 



Sulfur dioxide , 0.0004 



Calories 95.0 per ounce 3.7 per 



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Treatment of Intestinal Disturbances 



According to Manville, Bradway and McMinis (1937), it is in the German folk 

 customs that the idea of using the apple in specific ailments originated. The 

 suggestion of treating the acute digestive disturbances accompanied by diarrhea, 

 which are so frequent in childhood, with bananas, orange juice, or raw apple, 

 either alone or all together, was made by Fanconi (1930). About this time Moro 

 (1929) and Heisler (1930) promulgated their raw-apple therapy for diarrhea of 

 young children, based on the old custom among German peasants of using raw 

 apple for this disorder. 



A review of the literature indicates at least five factors which have been sug- 

 gested as being responsible for the beneficial action of such fruit diets. 



1. Tannic acid and astringency. 



2. Cellulose and pectin, which act to scour out the intestines, effectively re- 

 moving bacteria which are basic causes of difficulty. 



3. Effect on the pH (acidity) of the intestinal tract, which may be such as to 

 discourage the growth of bacteria. 



4. Carbohydrate content of some fruits, which may act to bring about a 

 change in the intestinal bacterial flora through promoting growth of organ- 



