Laura Ng

Apples - nutrients and healthy benefits

More than an apple is needed to keep the doctor away. Learn how and what benefits you can reap by munching an apple.

It is highly recommended that you include fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. The amount of intake depends on your age, size and level of activity but the recommended amount should be at least 5 cups each day. This will lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, some cancers and stroke.

Polyphenols prevent free radical from damaging our healthy cells, and they are abundant in fruits and vegetables. Storing them will help boost up our immune systems.

Doctors advise to eat more apples regularly as they are high in polyphenols.

A fresh apple makes an ideal, healthy snack – easy to carry, filling, juicy and refreshing. It is also relatively low in calories, contains no fat, cholesterol or sodium, so it is an excellent fruit to maintain healthy weight and heart.

Apples are also high in fructose, a simple sugar which is sweeter than sucrose (main component of cane sugar). As Fructose metabolized slower, it helps to control blood sugar levels, therefore is suitable for diabetes patients.

An effective way to cure constipation is to eat ripe, uncooked apples since they contain a lot of soluble and insoluble fiber. They can also be stewed which are effective treatment for diarrhoea and gastroenteritis.

Apples are also used in poultices for skin inflammations.

Many people like to eat dried apples as tidbits. Apple slices are exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur to prevent them from browning, then dried in the sun on wire trays.

As moisture is lost, natural sugars become concentrated, which is why athletes value dried apples as a source of carbohydrate that is quickly converted to energy. Dried apples contain six times more calories than fresh ones. They are high in fibre and moderate source of iron. But lost their vitamin C during drying process.

Putting apples with other fruits eg apricots together in a paper bag for two to four days will help other fruits ripen faster. For the same reason, avoid storing apples with strong-smelling foods to prevent them from absorbing unpleasant odors.

When choosing apples, make sure they are firm to the touch and free from brown bruises. Handle them gently to prevent bruising.

Large apples are more likely to be overripe which are best for stewing and baking.

It's best to store apples in a cool environment (refrigerator is the best) where oxygen balance has been chemically lowered. This halts the natural maturing processes, so they can be kept for several months without going soft. When the fruit is again exposed to normal temperatures and oxygen levels – on the supermarket shelves, it continues to mature and may quickly go soft.

To avoid cut apples from browning, dip them in a mixture of one part lemon juice to three parts water - or Vitamin C-fortified 100% apple juice.

Should we peel the apple? No, as two-thirds of the fiber, and many of the antioxidants, are found in an apple's peel. However, some raise concerns about the amount of pesticides on the peel. so we should run the apples under the tap more thoroughly if we decide to eat the peel.

Is apple juice as good? It is best to eat apples rather than drink apple juices as blending may cause important nutrients like polyphenols and fiber to disappear. But if you really wants to drink apple juice, opt for the cloudy rather than clear apple juice to get more polyphenols and pectins.

Here's a simple apple recipe :

Sautéed Apples (serves 4)

Ingredients: 1 teaspoon butter, 4 firm, tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced, a pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.

2. Add the sliced apples and the cinnamon.

3. Saute until the apples are soft.

4. Serve with pancakes

Article Tags: Dried Apples

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