My dog, Pippen and I, have been enjoying eating cherimoyas every night. Cherimoya has become Pippen’s favorite fruit. Pippen and I make sure that we eat one cherimoya daily between the two of us, since the cherimoya season is a very short one; about one month. My guess is most dogs will fall in love with this fruit. The good news is that cherimoyas are some of the foods highest in vitamin B complex.

What is the difference between vitamin B in foods vs. vitamin B in man-made supplements?

I’m a strong advocate of the philosophy that food is our best medicine because foods provide our bodies with the balanced nutrition we need daily. This is why I’d like to introduce you to this wonderful tropical fruit so you and your dogs may enjoy its nutritional benefits especially its high amounts of vitamin B complex.

Eating cherimoyas can address vitamin B deficiencies in humans and dogs. But using man-made vitamin B supplement cannot address the same deficiencies. For example, if your body is deficient of vitamin B6, foods like cherimoya will provide you with the proper vitamin B6 that can address this deficiency, but man-made vitamin B6 cannot. Chemically the vitamin B6 in man-made supplements is called pyridoxine hydrochloride and is not the natural bioactive complex vitamin B6 found in foods.

Fractionated, synthetic vitamin B6 in man-made supplements can be toxic to the nervous system causing abnormalities. Tingling sensations in the neck and extremities, lack of muscle coordination, disturbances and degeneration of nerve tissue occur with as little as 200 mg (DeCava, p. 175).

Vitamin B6 tends to work with vitamin B2, so excess B6 often results in a shortage of B2, causing eye irritation. Other B complex members would also be affected (p.175).

The active form of natural vitamin B6 is pyridoxal phosphate, the predominate form, which also occurs in its amino form, pyridoxamine phosphate. Both of these are in coenzyme forms. Cherimoya contains the active form of vitamin B6 in addition to the pyridoxal phosphate and pyridoxamine phosphate. This natural form of vitamin B6 is pyridoxine glucoside which the body can use to address any B6 deficiencies (DeCava, pgs. 159-179).

This is why I highly recommend that you rely on whole foods when you are trying to address vitamin deficiencies in your own body or your dog’s. It is only the whole food, intact and unaltered, that works as a nutritional source. The isolated parts are not recognized by the body as nutrients. Natural, food-source vitamins are enzymatically alive. Man-made, synthetic vitamins are dead chemicals. Human and animal health require “live” biochemicals. It is simply a matter of chemistry versus biochemistry.

Cherimoyas are delicious and nutritious:

Since cherimoyas are high in vitamin B complex, it becomes important for us to take advantage of their availability in natural grocery stores. If you have not tried a cherimoya, give it a try AND feed it to your dogs. Vitamin B complex is one of the most important vitamins as it is needed for blood health (to prevent anemia), intestinal tract (necessary for hydrochloric acid production), liver and kidneys detoxification processes (helps maintain sodium and potassium balance and prevents oxalate kidney stones). Vitamin B complex is also required for the health of the nervous system and for normal brain function.

Cherimoyas are even more important for dogs exhibiting signs of extreme stress such as shyness, antisocial behavior, depression, sudden fear, and loss of bodily function when faced with stressful situations (i.e., loud noise). Many of these signs have to do, among other things, with vitamin B complex deficiencies.

Science has identified 25 components in vitamin B complex and cherimoyas are one of the best sources to get all of them into yours and your dog’s bodies (p. 161).

The taste is part mango, part pineapple and part banana. Simply delicious. Give your dog the white meat and throw away the black seeds. If you buy cherimoyas and their shell is hard, they will soften and ripen on your kitchen counter. Wait until the cherimoya feels very soft before you feed it to your dog.

Try this incredible fruit. Every cell in your body and your dog’s will thank you for all the vitamin B complex benefiting them.

References:
DeCava, Judith A. (1996). The Real Truth About Vitamins And Antioxidants. Columbus, Georgia: Brentwood Academic press.

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