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Apples
offer nutritional punch
October 27, 05
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Fall is apple season.
It’s a time of year that brings to my mind happy childhood
memories of an old wooden cider mill, caramel apples, apple
picking and my mother’s homemade applesauce.
It’s also a good time to rekindle your interest in apples
because of their substantial nutritional value, good taste
and practicality as one of the most portable snack foods around.
More than 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the U.S.,
according to the U.S. Apple Association. They all vary somewhat
in flavor, color and the uses they’re best suited for.
Different types of apples vary slightly in their nutritional
value, too, but all of them share some basic attributes:
* High in fiber. A medium apple contains about 4 grams of
fiber – a good-sized dose, part soluble and part insoluble.
Soluble fiber, such as the pectin in apples, helps lower blood
cholesterol levels and control blood sugar levels. Insoluble
fiber is the roughage you need to help prevent constipation,
hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.
* Low in cholesterol and saturated fat. In fact, apples contain
none at all. That’s important for all of us but particularly
for anyone at high risk for coronary artery disease.
* Low in sodium. Again, nada, zippo. Apples are an ideal snack
for people who need to watch their sodium and salt intakes
– all of us!
* A good fluid source. Apples are like nature’s own
juice box. One medium apple contains a half cup of water.
Apples are also a source of potassium and health-supporting
phytochemicals that may help protect against heart disease
and some forms of cancer.
A few of the most popular varieties include Red Delicious,
Golden Delicious, Gala, McIntosh, Rome and Granny Smith. Some
varieties of apples are best eaten out of hand and others
work especially well in cooking and baking. Two of my favorites
– Granny Smith and McIntosh – work well in every
way, so they’re staples in my house.
Apples keep from two to four weeks at room temperature, depending
upon the variety, and they keep much longer in the refrigerator.
They’re also practical because they’re so easy
to carry as a portable snack in a purse, bag or briefcase
without turning to mush.
Other uses for apples:
* Chop apples and add them to cold or hot cereals. Try diced
Granny Smith apples with cinnamon and brown sugar in cooked
oatmeal.
* Grate apples and add them to quick breads, muffins and pancakes.
* Combine stewed apples and candied sweet potatoes or add
a scoop of applesauce to a baked acorn squash half.
Looking for something to make for dessert? Apple crisp –
baked, sweetened apples topped with oatmeal crumble –
is lower in calories than cobbler and pie. Even better –
baked apples topped with brown sugar and nonfat vanilla yogurt.
Leftover baked apples are delicious folded into hot oatmeal.
If I’ve got you interested in eating apples now, great.
I’d be remiss, though, if I didn’t point out one
important caveat:
Apples are among the six most pesticide-prone fruits and vegetables,
according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data included
in a study by the Environmental Working Group. Scrubbing and
washing helps, but it doesn’t change the stats, since
the data came from apples that had already been washed and
cored. Read the EWG’s report at www.foodnews.org.
Pesticide residues found on apples are “generally at
levels well below government-established safety standards,”
according to online consumer information provided by the U.S.
Apple Association.
However, there have been very few studies concerning the possible
health effects of long-term exposure to low levels of pesticide
residues.
My advice: Buy organic. And eat more apples this fall.
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