Apple Nutrition Facts
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| Calories 81 Carbohydrates 21 grams Dietary Fiber 4 grams Soluble Fiber Insoluble Fiber Calcium 10 mg | Phosphorus 10 mg Iron 0.25 mg Sodium 0.00 mg Potassium 159 mg Vitamin C 8 mg Vitamin A 73 IU Folate 4 mcg |
A look at apple nutrition shows that they are a good source of vitamin C and fiber, both soluble and insoluble.
Pectin, a type of soluble fiber, helps to prevent cholesterol from building up in the blood vessel wall linings. Bulk is provided in the intestinal tract by the insoluble fiber, helping food move quickly through the digestive tract, thus helping to prevent diverticulosis and colon cancer.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids, a type of pigment in apples that helps provide their color, have been found to help prevent heart disease. A study in Finland revealed that those who ate the most apples and other flavonoid-rich foods (such as onions and tea), had a 20% lower risk of heart disease than those who ate the least of these foods.The flavonoid quercitin, along with vitamin C, helps to boost the body’s immune system, providing protection against cancer and free radical damage that contributes to heart disease.
Another flavonoid, called phloridzin, is only found in apples. It may help prevent menopausal bone loss, according to a study in Calcified Tissue International.
Apple Skin and Apple Nutrition
Eating apples with their skin ensures that you’ll get more vitamin C, since almost half of the vitamin C is just underneath the skin. Of course, if the apple is not organic, you may want to peel it.In addition, most of the apple's fiber is contained in its skin, as is much of the bioflavonoid quercitin. Because peeling results in the loss of apples' flavonoids and most of its valuable fiber, this is one fruit that you should try very hard to select organically grown ones.
If you know you’re going to be spending some time in the sun, eat an apple! The peels of certain apples, like the Granny Smith and Braeburn, contain high concentrations of phenols which may provide protection from UV-B radiation.
Apple Juice
As far as getting your apple nutrition by drinking apple juice, it seems that cloudy apple juice is a healthier choice than clear because cloudy apple juice contains up to four times the amount of protective polyphenols (antioxidants also found in grapes and red wine) as clear apple juices.Eating Apples
In addition to the obvious—enjoying a crisp, fresh, tart-sweet apple as is, right out of your hand—you can “fancy up” a recipe by adding apples.Of course, they are delicious in fruit salads, but you might not have thought of adding some chopped apple to a green salad. For a tasty side dish, braise a chopped apple with some red cabbage.
Apples are a healthy treat. They are sweet and delicious, a great snack to carry in your lunch or on a hike, low in calories, nutritious, a natural breath freshener, and they are relatively inexpensive. Don’t forget to buy some the next time you go grocery shopping .
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