Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the world, due to their practicality and availability throughout the year. While you may enjoy a bite for their sweet taste, there are many other reasons to include them in your diet:
Nutritional value – A small apple (150 grams), contains 80 calories, 20 grams of carbohydrate, and 3.6 grams of fiber. In addition, it contains vitamin C and minerals such as potassium.
They are good for the heart – Apples contain soluble fiber, which helps lower blood cholesterol levels, which helps protect the heart. A medium apple provides 12% of the daily fiber recommendation for an adult.
They favor the health of the digestive system – Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic. This means that it feeds the good bacteria of the intestine, favoring its growth. To obtain these benefits, it is important to consume the apple with peel, because it contains the largest amount of pectin.
Practical and versatile – The apple is portable, take it with you wherever you go. It is enough to wash it to enjoy it with bites.
You can also cut it into cubes and add it to your salad; cut it into slices and eat it with peanut butter, or use it to prepare delicious desserts.
With more than 1,000 varieties of apples, they have many different colors, textures, and flavors to choose from. For example, Pippin and Granny Smith apples are the sourest ones; Braeburn and Fuji are a bit sweeter; while Gala, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp are among the sweetest varieties. But, despite their differences, they all provide the same nutritional benefits.
When buying apples, choose those which are firm at the touch and with no bruises. In the refrigerator, keep them in a vegetable container and at a temperature between 2° – 4° C. Before eating, rub gently with a vegetable brush and rinse under water, to remove any residue of soil and wax.
Finally, do not forget that integrating this popular fruit into your diet can bring you many benefits. Remember the popular phrase; “Eating an apple a day, keeps you away from the doctor!”.
