2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The soft aroma and taste of baked apples are a sure sign that autumn is on our doorstep. In the northern hemisphere, the apple season occurs in late summer and lasts until early winter, but there are also many varieties that are available year-round by keeping them cool or by importing them from the southern hemisphere.
The apples (Malus domestica) are crunchy fruits with red, yellow or green rind and are part of the Rosaceae family. Their taste varies from moderately sweet to pleasantly sour, depending on the type. The golden and red superb apples are soft and sweet, while Graney Smith is noticeably more tart. Sour apples, which retain their texture best during cooking, are preferred for baked desserts (such as apple pie), while excellent varieties are usually eaten raw.
With a huge variety of species and varieties, apples are massive distributed in almost all parts of the world, each variety having different characteristics in terms of size, color, taste, flowering period and characteristics of the fruit.
Every year, more than 55 million tons of apples are grown in the world, and this amount corresponds to about 10 billion apples in number. The world's largest producers of apples are China, the United States, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Italy and India.
History of apples
The apple tree, whose roots come from Eastern Europe and Northwest Asia, is common in most temperate regions. Apple trees are one of the first cultivated tree species. Many hybrids have been created over the centuries, giving us the current 7,500 varieties of the apple.
It is widely believed that the apple tree originated in the northwestern Himalayas, and their cultivation began in Asia Minor and went to the Caucasus, Egypt and Palestine. The ancient Greeks cultivated apple orchards more than 600 BC. From there, the popularity of the apple tree spread to Rome and only then throughout Europe.
Apples have long been associated with the biblical story of Adam and Eve, although there is no real mention that the fruit in question was an apple. In Norwegian mythology, apples are given a more positive form: it is said that its magical powers keep people young forever.
Composition of apples
Choose fully ripe fruits to get the most antioxidants. Conducted at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, a study shows that with the full ripening of apples, almost before they break down, their antioxidant levels actually increase. 100 g of apples contain about: 42 kcal, 0.1 g of fat, 0.4 g of protein, 12 g of carbohydrates.
Apples are above all a very good source of pectin and cellulose, which is concentrated mainly in the peel and seeds. Apple fruits contain enviable amounts of malic and citric acid, flavonoids, vitamins (from the group B, C, E, P and PP), a useful set of minerals with a predominance of potassium and boron. In addition, apples are rich in sugars - fructose - 6.8%, glucose - 2.7%, sucrose - 2.2%.
The pleasant apple aroma is due to the many essential oils that are contained in apples. The different tastes of different varieties of fruit are enviable by the ratio and amount of sugars and organic acids. Interestingly, the content of vitamin C is different in different varieties of apples, and some species may contain up to 3 times more vitamin C than others.
Selection and storage of apples
Look for hard fruits with a rich color. Yellow and green apples with a slight redness are best. You will be guided by your preference for a sweet or sour fruit, or whether you will eat it raw or processed. It is important to remember that Red and Gold Superb are among the sweetest specimens, and Graney Smith and Gravenstein have the most astringent taste, but retain their texture best during cooking.
Grab the apple and press the pads of your fingers firmly against it. If the apple is firm and you do not feel sinking in it, it means that the fruit is good. The phytonutrient content of apples does not change much during storage. After 100 days, the content of phenolic compounds decreases slightly, but even after 200 days kept in the cold, the total amount of these compounds remains approximately the same as it was on the day of harvest.
Culinary use of apples
By one apple a day for health, the people have said, and it is hardly a coincidence. Most of the beneficial substances in apple flavonoids, vitamin C and pectin, are found in the peel and flesh just below it. Therefore, do not peel the apples when consumed, but just clean them well. An apple cut with a metal knife quickly turns brown because it reduces the amount of vitamin C and the surface oxidizes. If you spray the apples with a little lemon juice, you can prevent this process. In the case of heat-treated apples, the useful substances decrease by about 40%, which, however, should not stop you from preparing apple pie or stuffed apples.
In fact, apples are very susceptible to culinary use, in terms of combining their taste with other products. Apples are used to make many pies, apple strudel, apple cake and a variety of apple cakes, where we often put them in combination with cinnamon. Apples are also suitable for roasted meats, and are one of the favorite fruits for canning, mainly in apple jam, apple jam, apple cider vinegar or juice.
How to enjoy them
In addition to being eaten raw, apples are a great addition to both salads and cooked items.
Tips for cooking apples:
• Wash the apples under clear running water. If they are organic - do not peel them, unless the recipe itself requires it.
• To avoid browning them while cutting them, place the slices in a bowl of cold water to which you have added a spoonful of lemon juice.
• For use in future apple desserts, sliced apples can be stored well in the freezer.
In short - store apples in the refrigerator and enjoy the sweet and crunchy fruit at least 3-4 times a week.
Benefits of apples
Apples contain a long list of phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and maintain the health of our heart. In order to make the most of them, it is important for them to receive them with their bark. Naturally, as it is exposed to external influences, we recommend that you buy organically grown apples in order to minimize the adverse effects of pesticide sprays or other potential contaminants.
Along with the antioxidants and dietary fiber contained in apples, flavonoids are the third reason these fruits are included in a good heart-supporting diet.
Although in less extensive research, compared to those concerning heart health, apples also appear in studies on the risk of cancer. The reduced risk of lung cancer in women is associated with daily consumption of apples. In fact, when it comes to maintaining lung health, apples come first among fruits, and unlike grapefruits, or citrus fruits in general, they remarkably reduce the risk of asthma, for example.
Don't think so apples are less special compared to the more exotic and less common fruits consumed. They certainly are not! Apples combine flavonoids, fiber and antioxidants in a unique and incomparable way. It has been proven that apple juice is extremely useful, as the more turbid, containing hairs, is preferable to the clear one. However, the maximum benefit of apples lies in consuming them as a whole fruit, and their key benefits are derived from consuming three medium-sized apples per week.
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