It’s that time of year when everyone’s favorite pome fruit comes into season. While there is a variety or two available year round, most apple crops are harvested between late August to mid October. Apples flourish in the cooler/temperate regions of the world with China producing the most (41% of the world’s apples) and the United States coming in second for apple production.

The US produces about 4.6 million metric tonnes of apples a year. In fact, apples are only second to oranges as a valuable fruit crop. Fifty percent (50%) are eaten as fresh fruit; 20% are made into vinegar, cider, wine, juice, jelly, and apple butter; 17% are canned for applesauce and pie filling; and 13% are exported to other countries. The top three apple producing states are Washington State, Michigan, and New York. Following behind are Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California.

All varieties of apple are derived from a fruit tree native to Eastern Europe and South-western Asia. Apples are a member of the rose family (remember that roses make rose hips which is a fruit similar to apples). Their compartmentalized core is what classifies them as a pome fruit. Today there are over 7,000 varieties of apples available.

Everyone has heard the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This is a very true statement. Apples contain a larger quantity of phosphates than any other vegetable or fruit. They also contain a very long list of antioxidants that have been proven to protect the heart and circulation. Containing about 15% of the recommended daily value of dietary fiber, apples also stand out in the areas of lung health. While not conclusive, they have been shown to protect against lung cancer and asthma.

When choosing apples at a store (or a farmer’s market), the desired flavor should determine the variety. In general, Red and Golden Delicious are sweet, Braeburn and Fuji are slightly tart, and Gravenstein, Pippin, and Granny Smith are the most tart (and retain their texture during cooking).

Choose apples that are firm with a rich color. Coloring of an apple can tell you a lot about how and where it was grown. Apples that have a slight blush to their skin (regardless of color) were grown in the sunshine (yellow or green apples with the slight blush are the best “eating” apples). Circular shadows in the color indicate that the fruit was not alone on the branch. Russet coloring around the stem indicates that the fruit hung upright and rainwater gathered there. Apples that were subjected to hail storms have russet colored spots.

When choosing an apple juice, select those that are “cloudy” instead of clear because they retain more nutrients and antioxidants.

Apples do not lose much of their nutritional and antioxidant levels during storage. After 200 days, the levels are similar to where they were when the apple was first harvested. It is the processing of apples that lowers these values. This is why fresh apples are always better for your health than apple juice.

Apples also ripen faster at room temperature than they do if kept in the refrigerator.

When eating an apple, it is important to not peal it. The valuable acids and salts in the apple are located just below the skin. But, if you are going to peel and/or cut your apple, placing the apple pieces in a bowl of cold water with a spoonful of lemon juice will prevent browning of the fruit. Apple slices also freeze quite well in plastic bags and containers.

Apples go back through much of human existence. While they vary in flavor and texture, their basic shape, taste, and nutritional value have remained unchanged through the centuries. And, despite advances in farming, apples are still mostly hand picked throughout the world.

Labels: Tips