Apples are low in calories, portable, inexpensive and have health benefits.
Crispy and juicy Honeycrisp apples are eaten out-of-hand and can also be used for cooking.
Apples
From Greek mythology, where Zeus and Hera were given a tree with golden apples by Mother Earth on their wedding day, to the discovery in 2000 AD of powerful anti-oxidants in apples, the fruit has played a role in health and history. Apples are one of America's most popular fruits and the U.S. Apple organization reports that there are about 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States and more than 7,000 grown worldwide.
Health Benefits of Apples
According to the University of Illinois Extension, apples have both soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber, pectin, can have a beneficial effect by helping to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessels. The insoluble fiber in apples holds water, acting as a bulking agent in the intestinal tract. One apple has about the same amount of fiber as a serving of bran cereal, and its phytonutrients help with the damaging effects of LDL cholesterol.
The Peel of the Apple
The peel, or skin, of the apple is nutritious and flavorful. The skin contains insoluble fiber, and close to half the Vitamin C found in apples is located just underneath the peel. As apples ripen the cells in their skin increase in flavor and aroma.
Honeycrisp Apples
In 1960 the University of Minnesota apple breeding program produced the Honeycrisp from a cross of Macoun and Honeygold apples. It became publicly available in 1991. Very crisp and juicy, both sweet and tart, Honeycrisp apples store well and can be kept in refrigerated storage for six months and still keep both flavor and texture. Ranging from 2¾ to 3½ inches in size, Honeycrisps have mottled red over yellow skin with a creamy, coarse flesh.
Nutrition
One medium Honeycrisp apple, 154g, has 80 calories, 0g of fat, 22g of total carbohydrates, 5g of dietary fiber, 17g of sugars and 0g of protein. The apple supplies 7 percent of the daily value of carbohydrates, 20 of fiber, 2 of vitamin A, 20 of vitamin C, 2 of calcium and 2 of iron. Some slight variation in the nutritional statistics will occur with the size of the apple.
Member Comments