Apple - Nutrition, How to Buy and Store

Apple - Nutrition, How to Buy and Store

Apple is a high fiber fruit, which contains no fat, cholesterol or sodium. It contains small amount of potassium, which will promote heart health, help maintaining healthy blood pressure and weight. Thus, scientific studies suggest eating apple regularly may help prevent certain diseases and improve your overall health. As the proverb says "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". The various nutrients inside apples may reduce risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, heart disease and weight loss.

Apples can be eaten fresh, canned, or juiced. Apples can be used for cooking as well such as making apple pie, apple crumble, apple crisp and apple cake. Besides, apples can be used to make apple sauce, apple butter and apple jelly.

Sliced apples will turn brown with exposure to the air very quickly, but acidulated water or salt water can be used to prevent this effect. By rubbing a very thin layer of salt on the sliced apples and keep the apples in refrigerator, it can keep the apples from turning brown for at least a day.

When buying apples, always look for those are firm and with bright color, and avoid bruised apples. When an apple is bruised, the damaged cells will release polyphenoloxidase, that hastens the oxidation of phenols in the apples, producing brown pigments that darken the apples. Check the apples left and right, upside down to make sure you get a good apple.

Store the apples in the refrigerator, and don't slice them or cut them open if you don't plan to eat or cook them immediately. Although apples can be stored in the refrigerator for reasonably long time as compared to other fruits, you will need to check them often from time to time. The longer the storage, the greater the natural loss of moisture and the more likely the chance that even the crispiest apple will begin to taste mealy. You should be able to observe the change from the skin of the apples.

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