Are you all not aware of the age old saying that “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?”
Apples are power packed nutritious fruits which are healthy as well as tasty. It suits fitness lovers and health conscious couples owing to the multiple nutrients the fruit carries. The fruit has rich phyto-nutrients which is indispensable for body’s optimal health. The anti-oxidants present in the king sized fruit has many health promoting and most importantly, disease prevention properties which justifies the saying mentioned at the beginning of the write-up.
Scientific facts surrounding apples
The botanical name for apples is Malus domestica. Apples were originally cultivated in mineral rich mountain ranges of Kazakhstan. Apples are grown on medium sized trees belonging to the Rosaceae family. Now apples, owing to their popularity as desserts widely used for cooking as well as baking is also cultivated in other parts of the world.
The core of the apple is off white or cream in color. The pulp inside the apple tastes mildly sweet and tarty in nature. The seeds of the fruit are thrown away owing to the bitterness.
Health benefits of an apple as such
- Delicious and crunchy apples are known to have phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants which are responsible for the overall growth, development and wellbeing.
- Apples are lower in calories. Fresh slices of the fruit provide you with just 50 calories. They contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. And apple provides binding material to colon in the mucous membrane. These prevent harmful cancer causing chemicals from entering the membrane.
- The fruit is an excellent source of dietary fiber as such. It completely removes bad cholesterol from the body and prevents constipation.
- Apples are rich in flavonoids and polyphenolics. Some of these are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2.These are also rich in tartaric acid which gives you a tart kind of flavor. These components present in an apple prevent harmful free radicals from entering the body.
- The great fruit has good sources of Vitamin C. It helps the overall immune system of the body and prevents you from catching frequent colds or sinuses.
- The fruit is also a good source of vitamin B6 like riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine which help in synthesis of various metabolic functions performed by the body.
- Apples contain small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorous and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus, counters the bad influences of sodium.
Serving tips
- Apples have to be eaten as such without even removing their peel off. This ensures you consume the fruit with the maximum health benefits attributed to it. As is stated on the above mentioned paragraphs.
- Sliced apples can turn brown when exposed to air. The process is referred to as oxidation as there is a component named ferrous oxide getting converted to ferric oxide. To help regain its original color, rinse the fresh slices in water and add a few drops of fresh lemon juice to the fruit serving.
- Clear apple juice is a healthy option for you to have post supper.
- Apples are used in preparation of jams, apple-pie, fresh fruit salads and dessert cakes.
Having discussed the multiple benefits of apple, does it make sense to gift away an apple basket of fruit delivery to near and dear ones?