Viva Vitality: An Apple a Day
By Pat MacIntosh
Now that July has rolled into August, I am starting to look for local apples that I can make into sauce and jam. And as I think about making jam with my mom, I also remember her saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” There is so much truth to these old sayings! Although no one food can keep you healthy, apples do provide a lot of benefits.
A medium sized apple has only about 100 calories yet is rich in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. But how does this powerhouse of nutrients help keep you healthy?
An apple has more than 10 per cent of your daily value for fibre, providing a soluble fibre called pectin – a prebiotic that feeds good gut bacteria – which improves your microbiome.
Apples are also rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols, and vitamins C and E. Together these nutrients may lower your blood pressure and decrease your risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Some studies found that the antioxidant quercetin may also help protect your brain from Alzheimer’s disease and help fight asthma, but more research is needed.
Now apples may sound too good to be true. Are there any risks to eating them?
Like the seeds and pits of other fruits, crushed apple seeds can produce small amounts of cyanide in your stomach. But don’t worry, eating a couple of seeds by accident is unlikely to hurt you. You would need to eat the crushed seeds from several apples all at once to be harmful.
Some people may develop an allergy to apples or notice bloating and stomach pain when eating them due to the fruit’s high fructose content. If this is the case for you, follow up with your healthcare provider.
And just like other non-organic produce, apples may have low levels of pesticide residue on them. Washing apples well under running water gets rid of a lot of the pesticides.
There are over 7500 types of apples grown around the world; many end up in our grocery stores year-round.
Fun fact: the crab apple is the only apple native to North America. Apples were brought over to Canada from Europe with the first apples being grown in Nova Scotia over 400 years ago. Apples in Canada are picked between August and November, depending on the variety. They are picked at different levels of ripeness with the sweet ripe ones being sold locally. The slightly less ripe, more starchy, tart ones will continue to ripen during shipping to farther markets.
Apples are easy to store, staying fresh in your fridge crisper for one to two months. You can also preserve them by drying them (caution - drying your apples removes the vitamin C), canning them as sauce, salsa or chutney, or baking or freezing them.
Bottom line, apples may not actually keep the doctor away, but they are a delicious part of a healthy diet and a quick grab-and-go food that you can take anywhere. To get the most bang for your buck, eat the apple skin for extra fibre content. Enjoy apples whole, chop them into salads, slice them and dip in yogurt, or try something new like these apple sandwiches: bit.ly/3xioG0h.
Pat MacIntosh (spelled different than the apple) is a Registered Dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Nutrition Services. Learn more at ahs.ca/nutrition.