Apple fruit Nutrition facts
Delicious and crunchy, apple fruit is one of the most popular and favorite products of health-conscious people who firmly believe in the concept of “health is wealth.” This wonderful fruit is packed with rich phytonutrients that are indispensable for optimal health and wellness.
Certain proven antioxidants in apples have health-promoting and disease-prevention properties, thereby, truly justifying the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
Scientific name: Malus domestica.
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Apples are obtained from a medium-sized tree belonging to the Rosaceae family. The wild apple tree is thought to have originated in the mineral-rich mountain ranges of Kazakhstan. Today, its cultivation is fostered in many parts of the world, including the US, as a major commercial crop.
Apple fruit is oval or pear in shape. Its outer peel comes in different hues and colors depending on the cultivar type. Internally, its crispy, juicy pulp is off-white to cream and features a mix of mildly sweet and tart flavor. Its seeds are bitter in taste, and therefore, inedible.
Hundreds of varieties of apples used for either table or dessert and cooking purposes are grown in the US and worldwide. Cooking apples tend to be larger, crispier and, tarter than dessert types.
See the differences between dessert and cooking variety apples in an infographic:
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Health benefits of Apple fruit
Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is notable for its impressive list of phytonutrients, and antioxidants. Studies suggest that its components are essential for optimal growth, development, and overall wellness.
Apples are low in calories; 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide just 50 calories. They, however, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. Nonetheless, the fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which helps prevent the absorption of dietary LDL or bad cholesterol in the gut. The fiber also saves the colon mucous membrane from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer-causing chemicals inside the colon.
Apples are rich in antioxidant phytonutrients flavonoids and polyphenolics. The total measured antioxidant strength (ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. Some of the important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2.
Additionally, they are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. Altogether, these compounds help the body protect from the harmful effects of free radicals.
Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and β-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
Further, apple fruit is an ideal source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together, these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the human body.
Apples also carry small quantities of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cells and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure; thus, counters the bad influences of sodium.
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Selection and Storage
Fresh apples can be readily available in stores all around the season. Choose fresh, bright, firm-textured with a pleasant flavor. Avoid those featuring indentation over their surface as they might indicate underlying mottled pulp.Keep fresh apples at room temperature for a few days and in the refrigerator for up to two to three weeks. Wash them in clean, running cold water before use.
Preparation and Serving Tips
Wash apples thoroughly in the running water to remove any surface dust, and insecticide/fungicide sprays. Trim off its stem-end using a paring knife, and cut the fruit into halves. Remove centrally placed, tiny, bitter seeds. Slice the fruit into desirable cubes or slices.
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| Apple pie. Photo by: kanko |
Here are some serving tips:
Eat apple fruit "as it is" along with its peel to get maximum health benefits.
Sliced apple turns brown (enzymatic brownish discoloration) on exposure to air due to conversion in iron form from ferrous oxide to ferric oxide. If you have to serve them sliced, rinse slices in water added with a few drops of fresh lemon.
Cloudy as well as clear apple juice is a healthy alternative drink with dinner.
Apple fruit is also used in the preparation of fruit jam, pie, and fruit salads.
Safety profile
Good apple fruit produce demands close attention and supervision of crops. According to the environmental working group reports, the apple fruit is one of the heavily pesticide-contaminated produces. The most common pesticides found in apples are organo-phosphorous and organochloride pesticides like Permethrin and DDT. Therefore, it is recommended to wash the fruit thoroughly before use. If possible, buy organic-certified apples. (Medical disclaimer).
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Further Resources:
Stanford School of Medicine Cancer information Page- Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risk.
About the Apple-Malus domestica.