An Apple a Day

Enjoy the Fall Season's Freshest Pick

-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

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Recently, I was standing in front of a beautiful display of apples at a local grocery store. A very puzzled gentleman asked me which apples were for pies. His wife had given him the shopping list, but had not explained which type of apple to buy. If this sounds familiar, then read on.

Fall, the apple-picking season, is here! Whether you pick your own at an orchard, support your local farmer’s market or shop at the grocery store—with so many varieties available, anyone can get confused. Here’s an easy guide to help choose the best apples for your needs, whether baking, cooking, or just simply eating.

For eating straight from the basket, crisp, juicy, and tangy varieties are best. Red Delicious is the most popular eating apple, but if you prefer a denser, tarter snack, try a Granny Smith, or a softer-fleshed McIntosh. Or check out the distinctive tastes of local farm varieties like Newton, Pippin, Macoun, or Sweet Sixteen.
To make applesauce, McIntosh is moist and flavorful. Cortlands and Braeburns also make good choices.
When baking, Rome apples are recommended because they hold their shape well. You can also try Fuijis, which are sweeter, wetter, and have a spicy flavor.
In pies, a mix of apples is best. Include Golden Delicious for sweetness and good shape, a tart apple like Granny Smith, and some flavorful varieties like Pippin, Winesap, Crispin and Jonagold.
To check out the entire world of apple varieties and usage, as well as delicious recipes, click here.

When selecting apples look for a shiny skin. Dull appearing apples will not be as crisp or as tasty. Your apples should be firm and free of bruises and punctures. Once you bring them home, keep your apples refrigerated. Fruit bowls are beautiful, but your apples will not stay crispy for long on the countertop. In fact, they will last 10 times longer when refrigerated.

Prepare your apple dishes just before serving to minimize browning. Protect cut apples from oxidation (which causes them to turn brown) by dipping them into a solution of one part citrus juice and three parts water.

And if by chance your apples should become soft and mushy, don’t throw them out! Peel, core, and slice them. Place the apple slices in a microwave dish. Sprinkle lightly with some brown sugar and cinnamon. Cover and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes, until your desired degree of tenderness is achieved. Serve warm. YUMMY!

And finally…does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Perhaps! Apples are filled with disease-fighting properties. They can help lower blood cholesterol, improve bowel functioning, and reduce your risk of stroke, prostate cancer and diabetes. So get your fill of apples this Fall, while they’re bountiful, affordable, and in-season. Warm cider, anyone?

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About The Author

Becky Hand
Becky is a registered and licensed dietitian with almost 20 years of experience. Through her company, An Ounce of Prevention, she makes nutrition principles practical, easy to apply and fun. See all of Becky's articles.

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Member Comments

ICARE4THEM

I love apples! I take some with me to work and they are filling too just gotta wash them real well or buy organic which is hard at times. I also am an avid fan of GoodBelly, which is a vegan and dairy free probiotic drink. I've been hooked since 2008 as soon as I heard about it. It helps with digestion, IBS issues and supports the immune system. goodbelly.com - 3/16/2013 2:37:05 PM
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JSIEVERT

Love Honeycrisp apples! Zestar apples also make my mouth water. But SweeTango is my new favorite. All began in my home state of Minnesota! - 1/25/2013 4:26:01 PM
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CALLMECARRIE

After eating Honey Crisp and Pink Lady apples, you'll never want to eat a Red Delicious again. In my opinion, they're more like Red Mediocre. - 11/20/2012 3:27:27 PM
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BARBANNA

I love every variety of grown. I eat 3 or more per day. They are convenient, easy to digest and low in sugar/fat. LOVE THEM! - 11/20/2012 10:17:55 AM
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DAYSPRING-STAR

I love apples! Although the article says to refrigerate your apples, I have found that they taste much better at room temperature. For that reason, I only put the apples we will eat the same day in my fruit basket in the morning. Then they are room temperature and ready to eat for a snack or at mealtimes. In addition, seeing them out reminds me to make them part of my nutrition planning and they make a pretty table decoration! I eat at least one apple a day. I checked out the link in the article that led me to the mention of Tammi Flynn's book "The 3 Apple A Day Book." I plan to take a look at this book. - 11/9/2012 8:26:01 AM
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BLPNANA

I recently got a ceramic knife from my son for a gift. I realized that it's the transferrence of metal to the fruit that causes it to turn brown. I can cut an apple with my ceramic knife and two days later that apple is still bright and ready to eat - fabulous! Now I only use a ceramic knife when cutting all of my vegetables (they cut better too!) - 10/10/2012 1:14:30 PM
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PENDARI

Good to know to put those apples in the refrigerator and they will last longer. One of my goals is to eat an apple a day. Honey Crisp apples are my favorite. This was an informative article. - 10/10/2012 11:05:43 AM
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KOALA_BEAR

Green apples - especially Granny Smith - will help ease the discomfort of heartburn. My favorite apple of all time is the Northern Spy from the east coast but in Califormia we can't get those. Strawberry delicious have a delicate flavor but the regular Red Delicious are a little mealy to my way of thinking. Give me a beautiful unbruised Macintosh or a Braeburn any time. The Fuji are good too but a bit pricier. - 10/8/2012 1:11:15 AM
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BARRACUDA17

Been a MAC girl all my life UNTIL I had a Honey Crisp!!! OMG THE BEST EATING APPLE EVER!!! This Vermonter loves apples!!! :-) - 9/18/2012 9:00:53 PM
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PRUSSIANETTE

I'm not so sure the "shiny skin" rule in the article can/should always be followed. Some of the non-organic apples are waxed by the stores to help them appear shiny. Therefore, they may appear less fresh than the organic ones which are not waxed. And, some stores keep apples in storage for months, which is why we often see them out of season. I read in another article that they way to tell if fresh is by putting some pressure on the stem. If it is pliable, then probably still fresh. If it is dry and breaks off, then probably not so fresh. I have used this as a better indicator. - 2/21/2012 10:58:36 PM
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CELTICMELODY

I recently read that Red Delicious apples have the most antioxidents. Who knew? Has me rethinking the good ole Red Delicious of my youth. Another good eating apple is Honey Crisp. Great flavor and very juicy. They are only in season for a short time and they aren't cheap. But, boy are they worth it.

I got a chance to participate in a study that compared Alli (Orlistat) to eating apples 15 minutes before each meal. Those of us in the apple group did just as well as the Alli group without all the..uhh.. icky side effects. Apples are cheaper too! LOL - 10/20/2011 10:56:51 AM
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CAROLJ35

And I will add that we do not eat Red Delicious apples, but do like Yellow Delicious. Our favorite is MacIntosh, but they weren't ready yet, so got Paula Reds which are very close to the Macs. - 9/21/2011 9:59:47 PM
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CAROLJ35

I just dragged home apples from PA as we grew up eating the ones grown there. I love to cook and bake using apples!

- 9/21/2011 9:56:07 PM
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CHICKENBALL

We don't get a lot of variety where I live; a small Northern town in Canada where the nearest local produce/market is over 730 Km away. Unfortunately, all we get during the summer are Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith. I hear a lot about Honey Crisp and Pink Lady, and I'm very curious to try those. I need to remember to visit the markets when I'm in the city... - 9/21/2011 11:29:22 AM
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SAKENN

I'm with RBALF1 - if 'Red Delicious' are still considered the most popular eating apple, then there must be a lot of places where there's no other variety offered. If that's all that's available, people may be forced to settle for them. I'm sad for those places.

Honeycrisp and Pink Ladies,or maybe Galas are what go into my shopping cart - 9/20/2011 2:40:50 AM
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