Everyone knows that eating an apple keeps the doctor away. No wonder, aside from being delicious, the fruits boast many amazing nutritional benefits to the body. However, just because you eat an apple daily doesn’t mean you get to enjoy all the advantages it offers. Truth to be told, there are various ways you can eat an apple aside from eating it raw, but can significantly affect the healthy perks you can reap of the fruit. In this article, discover the best ways and worst ways to consume apples, so you’ll know how to eat them the next time around.
Best Way #1: Eat apples while drinking green tea.
Apples and green tea are nourishing in their own right. They have their own unique characteristics and help repel many diseases. However, combining them gives them a new purpose, adding to the already tons of health benefits they bestow. Recent studies show that an apple and green tea combo provides ample amounts of polyphenols or naturally-occurring compounds found in plant-based food. Brimming with antioxidant properties, polyphenols block VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) that promotes the creation of new blood vessels. Such development results in the advancement of cancer and plaque formation that stiffens the arteries, leading to stroke and heart attacks.
Best Way #2: Add apples to oatmeal.
Oatmeal is regarded as one of the healthiest breakfast foods. This gluten-free whole grain meal is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus, it provides many health benefits from losing weight, easing insulin response, decreasing blood sugar levels, and reducing the chances of developing heart disease. Apples go fantastic with oatmeal as it provides a healthy amount of fructose or natural fruit sugar and vitamins like A, B, C and E, doubling your meal’s nutrition.
Best Way #3: Dip apples in greek yogurt.
If you’re looking for an afternoon snack while binge-watching on your favorite TV series or reading your favorite book, apples and Greek yogurt is your best bet. It’s creamy, crunchy, and delicious as the apple’s sweet juicy flavor balances out the yogurt’s supremely tangy taste! Moreover, greek yogurt packs potassium, protein, zinc, calcium, and probiotics. Add the countless benefits of apples, and you’re in for a good treat! Just slice the apples to your preferred thickness and prepare a cup of plain Greek yogurt. Dip the apples into yogurt and relish the goodness!
Best Way #4: Apples and dark-chocolate.
Are you having a hard time asking your kids with apples? Target their sweet tooth by making a tasty dark-chocolate fondue and let your kids plunge their apple slices. Apples possess a compound called quercetin, while dark-chocolate has a compound called catechin. Both compounds are flavonoids and, when combined, aids in regulating cell activity, preventing blood clots, and reducing the risk of heart disease. It’s a delicious dessert that, if taken moderately, can be a big boost to your family!
Worst Way #1: Sticking to apples alone.
Each fruit has its own set of specific nutrients, which can be beneficial to the body. While apples are indeed healthy, the fruit can’t have it all. For instance, apples have more fiber, which helps in lowering cholesterol and helps in digestion. However, oranges packers provide potassium, folate, and vitamin C. Rather than sticking to the saying and eating apples alone, be sure to eat a variety of fruits. Not only do you get to enjoy different flavors, but you also get to benefit from all the nutrients each one offers.
Worst Way #2: Peeling apples.
Most people don’t like eating apple skin due to potential wax and pesticide residue. However, most nutrients in fruits are actually found on the skin. Peeling and throwing the apple’s skin means discarding significant nutrients from the fruit. In fact, if you throw away the peel, you lose about a third of the apple’s fiber content plus remove other antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. If you’re concerned about wax or pesticide, you can simply rinse the apple under cool water and dry it using a clean towel.
Worst Way #3: Eating apples at night.
If you’re looking for a bedtime snack, skip apples. Apples are fibrous, while the digestive system slows down at night. Combining those two is a disaster as it means that the fruit will be harder to digest, causing discomfort as you sleep. Experts recommend eating apples in the morning instead when the body can make full use of apple’s dietary fiber pectin and aids in digestion throughout the day.
Worst Way #4: Consuming too many apples.
Apples may be healthy, but remember that anything in excess can be bad for the body. Apples contain calories and sugar, which means having too many apples can make you go over your daily allotment, leading to weight gain. Meanwhile, the fruit is also acidic and can wear away the tooth enamel in the long run. So, stick to an apple a day or two apples a day to avoid any side effects.