From Left - Fuji, Red Delicious, Gala
From the mountains of Central Asia comes the ultimate super food – The Apple. Daily, us humans consume more than 500,000 apples. Apples are by far the most widely cultivated fruit in the known universe.
It has been said that the apple provides “eternal youthfulness”. It also embodies eternal sin. The ‘Adam’s Apple’ came from the notion of a piece of the forbidden fruit sticking in the throat of Adam, who coerced Eve into having sex with him, forever plunging humanity into forgivable sin. Wait, that may not have been how it went…
In Greek mythology, to throw an apple at someone is to express profound love for that person. To catch the apple shows acceptance of that love.
So why is the apple the number one choice for “A” in the superfoods A-Z?
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
What about Acai? Well, Acai berries are good too but in my eyes, apples reign supreme.
Dear awesome fruit, you are the apple in my eye.
Granny Smith
Apples may be the ultimate anti-aging solution.
It is so easy to make eating a raw apple part of your daily routine. Apples could provide benefits like prevention of dementia, decreasing cholesterol levels, lowering risk of cancer, preventing weight gain and making skin look and feel young and healthy.
Aside from that, regular consumption of apples may also reduce the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and asthma.
I heard a story of a man who live to the ripe old age of one hundred and ten. He attributed his longevity to a diet that consisted mainly of apples.
The seeds contained within the apple contain a small amount of poison which is not enough to be dangerous to humans but will deter birds. So if you accidentally eat an apple seed, not to worry! A friend of mine eats the whole apple everytime. Skin, flesh, core, seeds and all. A bit odd but he seems to like it.
Gala
I do recommend cleaning the surface of the apple as there may be chemical pesticides and/or germs from other people handling the apple before you do.
How to choose the perfect apple:
Generally, I base my apple buying decisions on touch. When an apple is still attached to the tree it is very much alive. It will be very firm to the touch. A living apple is similar to a golf ball in that it is very firm with inherent elasticity. A perfect apple has a lot of potential energy.
Apple Trio
When shopping for apples, look for specimens that seem as alive as possible. The skin should not be bruised and should very tightly cling to the flesh. As a general rule, apples that maintain their firmness better than others have more orange and yellow coloured skin rather than true red, green or yellow ones. The exception is Granny Smith, which hold their firmness perhaps better than any other but their flesh is very tart and should only be used for cooking. The ultimate time for apple eating is in the early fall when apples are usually harvested. However, for the rest of the year, varieties like Gala, Fuji, and Ambrosa have more staying power. I did find a Red Delicious apple the other day that was absolutely amazing though. Today I found some Golden Delicious that were surprisingly firm as well. Surprising because it’s June.
Questions? Please ask in the comment box below.
Happy apple eating!
Disclaimer: Statements made in this publication are the thoughts and opinions of the author and have not been evaluated by the U.S. or Canadian Food and Drug Administration.
