Apple

Of the Apple is the undisputed number one among the types of fruit on the popularity scale, as no other fruit is bought, eaten or processed. There are also good reasons for this: the apple tastes wonderful, is a vitamin bomb and helps to stay healthy, especially in winter.

What you should know about the apple

The apple originally comes from Asia and is one of the oldest types of fruit. The apple tree now also plays an important role in Europe. Apples belong to the pome fruit and rose family. Nowadays the cultivated apple is the best known and most important type.

The fruit is available at any time of the year: The summer apples ripen in July to August and are not suitable for storage, for example the clear and August apples. The autumn apples are ripe from September to November, for example the reindeer. The winter apples such as Boskop or Boikenapfel are harvested in autumn, but are not yet ready to eat. Only after a few weeks of storage are they fully ripe and have a fully aromatic taste. Varieties such as Elstar or Idared are imports or special breeds.

Importance to health

The apple has many beneficial effects on the body. An apple of a variety rich in vitamins, for example Berlepsch, Goldparmäne and Boskop, can cover more than 50 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement. If a few apples are eaten every day over a long period of time, the cholesterol level can be lowered.

Apples are very low in calories, and due to the fiber they contain, they are also filling, so they are also suitable for a diet. Young children can eat finely grated apples as an effective remedy for diarrhea. The fruit is also said to relieve sore throat and throat pain, stimulate circulation in the morning and improve sleep disorders. A fried apple with honey is helpful for hoarseness. An apple fruit tea helps against nervousness. The apple mask leaves your skin soft and pure. For this purpose, a peeled apple is rubbed, mixed with honey, applied to the skin for 15 minutes and then carefully washed off. The apple also cleans the teeth due to the fruit acids.

Ingredients & nutritional values

The apple has a high nutritional value, because more than 30 vitamins and trace elements, a lot of potassium, which regulates the water balance, and numerous other valuable minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It also contains important vitamins such as B1, 2 and 6 as well as E and C, provitamin A, niacin and folic acid.

It should be noted that most of the vitamins are in the peel of the apple or directly below it. Therefore, the fruit should be washed well, but not peeled. Another important ingredient is pectin, which helps lower the cholesterol level and also binds harmful substances in the body. The apple consists of over 80 percent water and has only a few kilocalories.

Intolerances & allergies

Some people cannot tolerate the apples, which is often due to fructose malabsorption. The consequences are, for example, pain in the lower abdomen, increased gas formation in the intestine and osmotic diarrhea. Other possible symptoms are nausea, dizziness, sweating, hot flashes, headaches, drowsiness and a craving for sweets. There are also people who suffer from an apple allergy. This can result in a swollen tongue, tingling sensation in the mouth, and rashes.

Shopping & kitchen tips

Apples are available in every supermarket all year round. They should look fresh and also have no pressure points. When the apple is pressed, no dents should appear, otherwise they will be overripe and floury. A shiny, plump skin indicates that the fruit is fresh and well stored.

A cool cellar room with a high level of humidity is ideal, in which the apples are stored loosely on paper or boards. Temperatures of two to six degrees are recommended. Frost must be avoided at all costs. The apples should be checked regularly for brown or rotten spots and these should be sorted out. If you don't have a cellar, you can also store the fruit in a plastic bag. This will prevent it from drying out. The vegetable compartment in the refrigerator is suitable for small quantities. Under optimal conditions, the apples can be kept for several weeks. The sweetness of the apples increases after harvest and the aroma becomes more intense as it ripens.

Products with short transport routes, i.e. from the region, are fresher and also protect the environment. In addition, organic apples must not be treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. When they ripen, apples release the gaseous hormone ethylene, which also causes other fruits or vegetables to wither more quickly. Therefore, the apples should always be kept separately. If other types of fruit like bananas are supposed to ripen faster, apples nearby can of course make a positive contribution. Incidentally, a small piece of apple that is placed under the cheese dome helps to ensure that the cheese does not dry out, but stays juicy.

Since a sliced ​​apple turns brown very quickly, the pieces should be sprinkled with a little lemon juice if the apples are to be processed further, because this will keep the apple pieces fresh.

Preparation tips

The apple unfolds its positive effects best when it is eaten raw. This is also possible by refining a raw vegetable platter or a salad with it. The apple is also a popular ingredient in mueslis. It is important that the fruit is washed well beforehand, as it is often splashed. The peel should not be cut off as it contains most of the healthy ingredients.

Apples can also be boiled. There are special types of boiled apples for this purpose, which do not lose their firm consistency and sweetish-sour aroma even during cooking. Apples also go very well in hearty dishes such as red cabbage. The Christmas goose is also often filled with this fruit. A delicious combination is also achieved when the apples are gratinated with goat cheese. A healthy salad is made with carrots and lemon juice. This can be refined with feta and pine nuts, for example. The dried apple rings are very popular for TV evenings or parties. The baked apples at Christmas time, applesauce, apple strudel, apple pancakes, apple pockets and cider are of course classics.

Cinnamon and nuts, but also vanilla sauce, go well with the apple, for example. The apple can even be baked in bread. If the apple varieties are varied, the baked goods and dishes always taste different. The sugar can be reduced for sweet varieties. Sour apple varieties give the baked goods an aromatic note. The variety of the varied recipes with the apple is limitless. In every season there are suitable dishes that are not only tasty, but also improve health.