Lifestyle
Bake An Apple!
By
Sep 21, 2008 - 2:05:34 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - We've all heard the motto "An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" and apples are "The American Fruit" no matter how we eat them. In fact, statistics show that we Americans each consume roughly 40 pounds of apples annually in some form (I hope it's more from fresh apples than pie!). Apples believe it or not, come in over 2000 varieties, which are grown in the U.S. Most of us are familiar with at least half a dozen varieties and most of us have our favorite (I love Golden Delicious, myself). And now that they are in season, let's take a look at one of the most versatile fruits we can eat. And apples really are good for us raw or cooked, which we'll discuss in a bit!

So, why are apples good for us? The apple's main nutritional value is its fiber contribution because it has both soluble and insoluble fiber. Most of its fiber is the soluble type called Pectin, known for its cholesterol lowering benefit. But that's not pectin's only role. Pectin and other soluble fibers slow down our food's digestive transit time which gives us a slow steady rise in blood sugar (great for sustained energy). Pectin is found in the flesh of the apple. Apples do cause some of us to feel bloated, but we can just bake them, which reduces the large amount of air they contain (it's the air that causes we know what!). Apples also provide flavonoids, a large group of compounds that are all antioxidants, helping us to prevent and fight cancers. The majority of these bioactive chemicals are found in the peel. According to the American Institute of Cancer research, " Disease-fighting substances have been found both in the fruit’s flesh and peel. Research suggests that antioxidants and phytochemicals in apples may protect against breast, colon and liver cancers".

Apples are also pretty chewy, juicy, fibrous, and the pulp doesn't stick to our teeth (perhaps we should say an apple a day keeps the dentist away?) but please don't ask me why, because I don't know exactly why! Of course, apples also contain Vitamin C, and when we eat their peel, we get some beta-carotene and extra fiber. A large apple has about 125 calories, and I mean "large" with only 2 whole ones per pound!

Apples are indeed one of the most versatile fruits, which is probably why we're consuming those 40 pounds each. They are great eaten raw as a fruit of course, but we can add them to a salad (Waldorf Salad), eat them sliced with some cheese (my favorite is sliced with a pinch of salt and a string cheese for a snack); they can be added to a stuffing (Thanksgiving will be here before we know it), and one favorite way of mine to enjoy an apple is make a low fat, low calorie, individual baked apple. Hence "Bake an Apple". I halve an apple, core the center, add some cinnamon and nutmeg along with a drop of water and a bit of my favorite low calorie butter spray and I bake it until it is cooked right in its skin on a baking pan. I top each cored center with a tablespoon of non-fat frozen yogurt and I have an easy, fun and sweet tasting apple pie dessert.

I also recommend to my clients who love potato chips on the side of their lunch sandwich, to slice a Granny Smith Apple, add a pinch of salt and to not only satisfy that crunchy urge, but save a couple of hundred calories to boot! Let's not forget there's almost everyone's favorite, applesauce. I add applesauce to frozen vanilla yogurt with raisins as a topping to my waffles.

So raw, baked, alone or as a combo, here's to apples and our health!

June M. Lay M.S.
www.Junefit.com
Want to read an article from the American Institute for Cancer Research Fall Newsletter on apples? Go to http://www.aicr.org/site/DocServer/NL101.pdf?docID=2301 Also posted now, "Junefit's Apple Pie" under my recipe page.

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