Friday, September 25, 2009

A is for Apple



As I embark on another weekend of summer, listless and stir crazy, I have found myself wondering, how many apples have I eaten in my lifetime? I know it's a silly, rather unconventional question, but honestly I'm utterly fascinated by it. 
Apples are inherently one of earths greatest foods, are they not?
They are crisp, sweet. tart occasionally, juicy at times, pithy at others, red, yellow, green, dark dark orange in spots and come with their own nutritious skin. 
Without an apple, you may not keep the doctor away. 
With an apple, you have a perfectly packaged snack, which can fit into an average sized lunch box, travel backpack, small zip-lock bag if sliced properly and all and all a delicious way to curb a hunger twinge.
Their nutritional benefits are markedly high. Packing a whopping 47 calories in an average apple and supplies nearly 30% of your total daily needs for fiber. Not to mention its cancer fighting properties within the gorgeous colored skin, which actually contains the majority of the phytonutrient content of the glorious orb. 
Fuji, Honey Crisp, Gala, Macintosh, Red Delicious, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious are ones we know best. But how about the heirloom alternatives : Terry Winter, Vandevere, Medaille d'Or or a Blue Pearmain.
With so many varieties, colors, flavors, textures and cooking applications, one can only assume they would be the doctors choice prescription. 
So as I look back on my plus or minus 8,875 days here on earth, I've got to wonder, has it been my apple a day habit that keeps the doctor away?

1 comment:

Marti Kolden said...

My favorite way to eat apples is to cut it into thin slices, as a matter a fact I think I'll eat a Honey Crisp right now..Yummm