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February is apple Month

While it will certainly take more than a daily apple to keep you healthy, it is a step in the right direction. Apples are delicious, easy to carry for snacking, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, available year-round and they are still very inexpensive.

Did you know… The apple tree is a member of the rose family? Its flowers are not as fragrant but its fruit is more delicious that the rosehip – though the hip is a better source of vitamin C. In fact, apples contain very little vitamin C. Compared to orange, grapefruit, prune and even grape juice, apple juice ranks the lowest in terms of vitamin content.

Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre such as pectin actually helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Pectin also slows glucose metabolism which makes it a perfect snack for diabetics. The insoluble fibre in apples provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.

It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin. Almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. Eating the skin also increases insoluble fibre content. Most of an apple’s fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen, the skin cells develop more aroma and flavour. Yale University researchers have discovered a new route to relxation; inhaling the scent of apples. Tests conducted with apple spice fragrance showed a significantly calming response in the lab, so a whiff of a mug of mulled cider or the smell of a freshly baked apple may well help to allay anxiety attacks at home.

According to Cornell scientists, increasing dietary consumption of fresh apples, with the apple skins intact, provides additional phytochemicals that have long-term health benefits, and may prevent or reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. Apples contain naturally-occurring chemical compounds known as phytochemicals, polyphenols or flavonoids, some of which have been proven to have antioxidant activity that inhibits the activity of free radicals in the body. Cell damage from free radicals can be a factor in certain types of cancer, heart disease, strokes and other conditions.

The major antioxidant components in apples are polyphenols known as quercetin glycoside, phloretin glycoside, chlorgenic acid and epicatechin, all contained mainly in the skin. While these names of components are complex, the health benefits are clear: quercetin, for example, has been reported to reduce the risk of cancer and inhibit enzymatic activities associated with several types of tumor cells. It’s too early to determine which substances in apples provide the protection, or how much. The best way to lower your risk of cancer is to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables every day, and at least five servings a day. After harvesting, apples are washed and some of their natural waxes are removed with the chemical pesticides. A natural wax coating (shellac) is then applied to prevent moisture loss and enhance firmness. Apples can be stored in sealed rooms filled with nitrogen and kept at a temperature of 32-34 degrees Fahrenheit. This slows the natural ripening process, enabling apples to be shipped at peak condition throughout the year.

There are hundreds of varieties of apples on the market today, although most people have only tasted one or two of the most popular such as Red Delicious or Granny Smith. Apples can be sweet, tart, soft and smooth or crisp and crunchy, depending on the one you choose. There is an apple to suit almost everyone’s taste, so why not choose one. Have an apple today!

Apple Nutrition Facts
(one medium apple (2 1/2 inch apple, fresh, raw, with skin)

• 81 calories
• 21 g Carbohydrate
• 4 g dietary fibre
• 10mg calcium
• 10 mg phosphorus
• 0.25 mg iron
• 0 mg sodium
• 159mg potassium
• 8mg vitamin C
• 73IU vitamin A
• 4 mcg folateEasy ways to get your family to eat more apples:
• Make fruit kabobs with apple, orange, and pineapple chuncks.
• Replace potato chips with apple chips.
• Store dried apples in you car’s glove compartments for a quick snakc the kids can enjoy on the way home.
• Alternate the morning routine by eating a warm bowl of applesauce and walnuts instead of oatmeal or cold cereal.
• Top apple slices with honey and raisins for a quick desert.
• Scoop out the center of an apple and fill it with granola, chopped banana and raisins and cook it in the microwave.
• Serve apple wedges with chunks of reduced fat cheese or a spoonful of natural peanut butter.Apple recipes:
• Apple pancakes with Spicy Yogurt and cider syrup
• Apple cider baked beans
• Apple pumpkin tart
• Apple chicken salad

Apple cranberry crisp Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!