5 minutes
The apple is very popular, but do you know what variety you are eating? See which one is your favorite and the benefits it brings to your health.
The apple is a very popular edible fruit. It is a pomaceous fruit, that is to say, fleshy and round. There are different scales of sweetness, as there are varieties of apples for all tastes.
Up to 7500 varieties with colors between red, green and yellow have been recognized. Nevertheless, only a small number is commercial.
From a nutritional perspective, the health benefits are noticeable in this product, as it contains antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In this article we explain in detail the advantages of eating apples and the varieties that you can find.
Nutritional characteristics of the apple
Nutritionally, the values between each apple variety do not change much. What does vary is its acidity, shape and color.
100 grams of apple, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), they contain 48 kilocalories, 0.27 grams of protein, 0.13 of fat and 12.8 grams of carbohydrates. They provide 2.7 grams of fiber and about 10 grams of sugars. It is its high water content that makes it juicy, as it has 86.7 grams in this serving.
It is a good source of potassium, since it has 90 milligrams. In addition, 11 milligrams of phosphorus and 4 of magnesium are recorded. Of vitamin C it has 4 milligrams, of choline it contributes 3.4 milligrams and of vitamin A, 2 micrograms.
Benefits of apples
The benefits of apples are many. They range from their high antioxidant content to the fiber that contributes to intestinal health. Here we explain.
1. Fiber content
The apple contains soluble and insoluble fiber. The insoluble one reduces the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive system.
The Northern California Department of Agriculture ensures that eating an apple daily lowers cholesterol bad or LDL by 8-11%. Two apples a day make it 16%.
In addition, fiber contributes to good intestinal health, since softens stool, thereby reducing constipation. If there are watery stools, soluble fiber solidifies them, so it can also reduce diarrhea.
2. High content of antioxidants
This fruit has a high content of antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, of which it contains 17 micrograms. Also cryptoxanthin, with 13 micrograms. It has flavanoids such as catechin, epicatechin and procyanidin B2.
Antioxidants prevent cell oxidation. This means that they fight free radicals, which are substances produced by the body as waste. Free radicals are responsible for the oxidative stress process, associated with aging.
3. Prevents cardiovascular diseases
On research The relationship between the consumption of apple flavonoids and the reduction of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases has been demonstrated. One of the reasons that apples are able to achieve this effect is that limit cholesterol levels. On studies in mice it was found that the ingestion of apples can reduce the accumulation of fat in the arteries of the heart.
Varieties of apples
Although there are countless varieties of apples, here we will describe the most commercial ones that you have surely seen on the market.
1 apple fuji
This apple originates from the city of Fujisaki. It is a mixture of the red delicious and the janet ralls. Among its characteristics is that it is rounded, of a smooth red color, crisp, with firm, juicy, sweet pulp and aroma. Its acidity is minimal.
2. Royal gala
This variety originates from New Zealand. It is deep red with variations from yellow to orange. Its shape is rounded with a size from medium to small. It is sweet with a touch of acidity, aromatic and with juicy, white and creamy meat.
3. Honeycrisp
This apple has its origins in Minnesota (United States). It is a crunchy fruit, bright red to pale green in color. It is sweet, with a slight touch of acidity.
Four. Granny smith
Grandma Smith’s apple is a hybrid apple, exit of the mixture of two species. It appeared in Australia in 1868, after grandmother Mary Ann Smith Sherwood created the first graft.
It has an intense green tone, although they can be pink. They are round, with juicy white meat, acidic and crisp. Its aroma is delicate.
5. Red delicious
It is a red-skinned apple with a medium sweetness scale. It is aromatic and with juicy meat.
6. Golden delicious
This is a very sweet apple, with a firm white pulp. Its shell is soft and thin. In fact, it is seldom necessary to peel it.
7. Empire
The Apple empire It is also originally from the United States. Its flavor is smooth and with a slight acidity. It is one of the hardest textured varieties. It is very juicy.
8. Winesap
It’s about the apple Favorite for making apple cider for its spicy flavor. Its texture is usually smooth, of a purplish red and with a size that goes from medium to small.
Choose any variety of apple and enjoy its benefits
It is recommended to eat two apples a day. If you eat more there is a risk of weight gain and increased blood sugar.
Come to your neighborhood market and find out what varieties of apples are sold there. Now you know the most frequent ones and you can choose according to your taste.
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