Fall in Love with Apples

 

It's Apple Season!

Apples are such a delicious and versatile fruit full of antioxidants, a good source of Vitamin C and potassium, and soluble fiber. They are easy to eat on the go, can be paired with other foods as part of a healthy snack or meal. There are so many varieties of apples, each with their own unique flavor and texture, it would be easy for everyone to have a favorite! They also seem to grow most climates, so many people can try local varieties. Apple picking is a fall fun family tradition.

A medium apple  -6.4 ounces or 182 grams - offers the following nutrients : 
Calories: 95
Carbs: 25 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
Potassium: 6% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 5% of the RDI
2–4% of the Recommended Daily Intake: manganese, copper, and the vitamins A, E, B1, B2, and B6.

Apples are also a rich source of flavonoids which benefit the whole body studies show they effect the heart, brain, lungs, gut and may be protective against cancers. The antioxidants, polyphenols and fiber that make apples so nourishing for the gut microbiome are found mainly in their skin, so make sure to eat the whole organic apple;) The Environmental Working Group has consistently found that apples are commonly sprayed with pesticides, more so than other fresh fruit and vegetables. 

•  Quercetin, a nutrient that also occurs in many plant foods. Studies show quercetin may have anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antiviral, anticancer, and antidepressant effects. 
• Catechin, a natural antioxidant, catechin is also present in large amounts in green tea and research has shown to improve brain and muscle function.
• Chlorogenic acid, also found in coffee, chlorogenic acid has been found to lower blood sugar and prevent diabetes.
• Pectin, a fiber found in apple skins, has been shown to promote the presence of anti-inflammatory beneficial bacterial species in the Firmicutes family, which are known for their health-supporting functions.
• Procyanidins, a class of antioxidant flavonoids, from apples can prevent obesity in mice by improving the ratio of good to bad bacteria in the microbiome.

Eating apples affect your gut microbiome by proving prebiotic fiber, polyphenols and antioxidants to nourish the beneficial bacteria. A recent article look at at the microbiome of organic verse conventional grown apples and found that consuming the whole organic apple includes an approximate uptake of "100 million bacterial", which sounds gross, but in reality that's what helps our own microbiome to become healthy and diverse.  

Some simple and yummy ways to eat an Apple a day:

• Apple and yogurt, topped with flax, pumpkin and chia seeds
• Roasted apples topped with granola and honey
• Chopped apples with roasted beets and goat cheese and walnuts on a bed of mixed greens
• Apples dipped in chocolate hummus
• Apple and Butternut squash soup