Apples are one of the most popular fruits enjoyed world-wide and for good reason. They are cheap, readily available, extremely portable and did I mention, absolutely delicious? The crunch and taste experienced when digging into a freshly picked apple is love ‘at first bite’! And, with so many varieties, there is bound to be an apple to satisfy every taste bud—you’ll never get bored of this fruit! Synonymous with Autumn, apples are as much a part of the season as falling leaves and cooler weather and are as American as well, ‘apple pie’!
Apples (Malus domestica) belong to the sub-family Pomoideae within the plant family Rosaceae (AKA the rose family—that’s right, apples are related to roses!) Apples are classified as “pomes”—a type of fruit with a tough core containing several small seeds and a fleshy, edible outer layer (like pears). This fruit originated in Central Asia, where they were first domesticated between 4,000 and 10,000 years ago; there are now over 8,000 varieties of apples grown throughout the world (in fact, there are more varieties of apples than of any other fruit!), with 80 million tons of apples produced world-wide per year. Apples have been depicted in art, especially as religious symbols (think forbidden fruit), for nearly as long as they have been cultivated. In Ancient Greece, to throw an apple at someone was to symbolically declare one’s love; and subsequently, to catch it was to show one’s acceptance of that love! The only apples native to North America are crab apples. The apples we are familiar with today were actually introduced to North America by European colonists in the 17th century, with the first apple orchard in North America planted in Boston. The rest is history—today the US is the second largest producer of apples world-wide (after China)! And, apples are the most consumed fresh fruit in the US—representing 12.5% of all consumed fruits world-wide!
In this article, we’re doing a deep dive review of the extensive scientific evidence for a wide range of health benefits from eating apples regularly, a comprehensive overview of the nutrients that mediate those health benefits, and a practical section with various tips like shopping, selecting, varieties to explore, storing, preparing, cooking, and even growing your own! Paid subscribers also can download a printer-friendly PDF version of this information below!
Nutrients in Apples
When in doubt, an apple is the perfect portable snack and is a great addition to any meal!
Relative to other fruits and vegetables, apples aren’t particularly notable for their micronutrients. One medium apple contains a bit of vitamin C (9% of the DV) and copper (5% of the DV) and only very small amounts of other vitamins and minerals like potassium, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin K, vitamin B1 (thiamin) and manganese. However, they are great sources of fiber (4.4 grams per apple), as well as a number of important phytonutrients which contribute to their many health benefits. The main constituents of apples include polyphenols, polysaccharides (e.g., pectin), triterpenes, and phytosterols. The phytonutrient composition and distribution varies greatly between different varieties of apples and different parts of the apple (pulp vs peel). Other components within apples also vary based on cultivar. For instance, green apples tend to have less sugar than red (think Granny Smith).
Polyphenols found in apple include catechins and epicatechins, procyanidins, phenolic acids (e.g., chlorogenic acid), quercetin, dihydrochalcones, and anthocyanins (in varieties with red peels). And, apples are the biggest contributor of polyphenols to the American diet, with about 300 mg per apple. That’s incredible!
The concentrations of polyphenols depends on many factors, such as growing conditions, storage conditions, and processing of the apples. In addition, there are small changes which occur during the maturation and ripening of apples. Apple variety is a factor too! For instance, analyses of apple polyphenols have shown that
