Perhaps you're aware that the old adage, "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away," can actually be proven by medical science. Researchers now know most of the health benefits of fruits, particularly the apple. But if you're planning to add apples your diet to prevent colds, diabetes or cancer, you need to be aware of the sugars, acids and polyphenols in this fruit.
General Profile
Like many fruits, each apple is made up of 80 percent water, 10 percent carbohydrates and 4 percent various vitamins, minerals and other trace substances. The U.K.'s Institute of Food Research says that a medium-sized apple contains roughly 40 calories, making it a good snack food. Apples also contain dietary fiber, spread evenly between their skins and the core. Apple cores aren't appetizing and are usually thrown away; if you avoid eating the skins as well, you'll be missing the fiber entirely.
Sugars
In food science, carbohydrates are complex starches or simple sugars. For apples, their 10 percent carbohydrate content refers to simple sugars. These are primarily sucrose, fructose, glucose and sorbitol. According to a study published in 2006 in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," the total sugar content of most apple cultivars ranges between 4 and 5 oz. for every 35 oz. of fruit. While total sugar content varies between cultivars, it averages over 0.5 oz. for every 3.53 ounces of fruit, which is higher than general diet recommendations that assume the same amount of fruit contains less than 0.5 oz. of carbohydrates.
Acids
The sweetness and tartness of an apple depends on the interplay between its sugars and acids. Apples have ascorbic acid or vitamin C. The major acid component in apples, however, is malic acid, which is responsible for tartness or sourness. The rest is a mix of citric acid, shikimic acid and fumaric acid. Some apple varieties also yield juices with quinic and citromalic acids. Bear this in mind when you choose which apple cultivar will suit your personal taste and stomach's acid tolerance.
Phenolic Compounds
Beyond carbohydrates and vitamins, apples also carry flavonoids, a kind of polyphenol compound with antioxidant properties. According to an Oregon State University report, an increased intake of apples is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Another study published in "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research" also suggests these polyphenols may block the passage of glucose through intestinal tissues.This means that, despite having a high sugar content, apples may actually control blood sugar spikes after mealtimes. Phenolic compounds found in apples include flavonoids, tannins, clorogenic acid and hydroxymethylfurfural.
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