APPLES

Benefits:

• Good source of vitamin C, depending on the variety
• Good source of bioflavonoids
• High source of soluble fibre
• May help in the treatment of constipation and diarrhoea

A fresh apple is the ideal, healthy snack - easy to carry, filling, juicy and refreshing. Some varieties are a good source of vitamin C, which is an anti oxidant and helps to maintain the immune system. Apples are also relatively low in kilojoules and contain a high proportion of fructose. This simple sugar, which is sweeter than sucrose - the main component of sugar cane - is metabolised slowly, and so helps to control blood sugar levels. In herbal medicine, ripe, uncooked apples have traditionally been given to treat constipation, while the stewed fruit can be eaten for diarrhoea and gastroenteritis. Apples are also used in poultices for skin inflammations.

Choosing Apples
Look for apples that are firm to the touch, with no brown bruises. Large apples are more likely to be overripe than smaller ones. Local fruits are at their best: in flavour, scent and texture - when they ripen in the autumn. There are thousands of varieties of apple, including some 50 or so grown in South Africa, although 10 varieties form the bulk of commercial production, with another 10 planted in smaller quantities. The main local varieties are Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious (of which Starking is a sub-variety), Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith and Joanna Gold. Apples are now available throughout the year. Those bought out of season will have been stored in a cool environment where the oxygen balance has been chemically lowered. This halts the natural maturing processes, so they can be kept for several months without going soft. When the fruit is once again exposed to normal temperatures and oxygen levels - on supermarket shelves - it continues to mature and may quickly go soft.

In 1989 there was widespread concern in the USA and Britain over the possible carcinogenic effects of Alar, a chemical used to make apple trees more productive. Although not considered a hazard by some scientists, consumer pressure has led to Alar being withdrawn from use worldwide. Alar is no longer used in South Africa as it causes the fruit to ripen too quickly for export purposes.

Dried Apples
People have eaten fresh and dried apples since the Stone Age, and they were popular with the Egyptians as long ago as the 12th century BC. Valuing the fruit for its durability, the Pilgrim Fathers planted apples as one of their first crops in the New World.

Drying is one of the oldest forms of fruit preservation. The medieval housewife would hang strings of apple rings from the rafters, but today the slices are exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur to prevent them from browning, and then dried in the sun on wire trays. As moisture is lost, natural sugars become concentrated, which is why athletes value dried apples as a source of carbohydrate that is quickly converted to energy. Weight for weight dried apples contain six times more kilojoules than fresh ones, and are high in fibre and a moderate source of iron.

Return To The Following Index Pages:

1. Fruit
2. Vegetables
3. Herbs & Spices
4. Vitamins & Minerals