Apples

Apples

What's New and Beneficial About Apples

• The phytonutrients in apples can help you regulate your blood sugar. Recent research has shown that apple polyphenols can help prevent spikes in blood sugar through a variety of mechanisms. Flavonoids like quercetin found in apples can inhibit enzymes like alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. Since these enzymes are involved in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars, your blood sugar has fewer simple sugars to deal with when these enzymes are inhibited. In addition, the polyphenols in apple have been shown to lessen absorption of glucose from the digestive tract; to stimulate the beta cells of the pancreas to secrete insulin; and to increase uptake of glucose from the blood via stimulation of insulin receptors. All of these mechanisms triggered by apple polyphenols can make it easier for you to regulate your blood sugar.
• Even though apple is not an excellent source of dietary fiber (it ranks as a "good" source in our WHFoods Rating System), the fiber found in apple may combine with other apple nutrients to provide you with the kind of health benefits you would ordinarily only associate with much higher amounts of dietary fiber. These health benefits are particularly important in prevention of heart disease through healthy regulation of blood fat levels. Recent research has shown that intake of apples in their whole food form can significantly lower many of our blood fats. The fat-lowering effects of apple have traditionally been associated with its soluble fiber content, and in particular, with its fat-soluble fiber called pectin. What we now know, however, is that whole apples only contain approximately 2-3 grams of fiber per 3.5 ounces, and that pectin accounts for less than 50% of this total fiber. Nevertheless, this relatively modest amount of pectin found in whole apples has now been shown to interact with other apple phytonutrients to give us the kind of blood fat lowering effects that would typically be associated with much higher amounts of soluble fiber intake. In recent comparisons with laboratory animals, the blood fat lowering effects of whole apple were shown to be greatly reduced when whole apples were eliminated from the diet and replaced by pectin alone. In summary, it's not fiber alone that explains the cardiovascular benefits of apple, but the interaction of fiber with other phytonutrients in this wonderful fruit. If you want the full cardiovascular benefits of apples, it's the whole food form that you'll want to choose. Only this form can provide you with those unique fiber-plus-phytonutrient combinations.
• The whole food form of apples is also important if you want full satisfaction from eating them. Researchers have recently compared intake of whole apples to intake of applesauce and apple juice, only to discover that people report less hunger (and better satiety, or food satisfaction) after eating whole apples than after eating applesauce or drinking apple juice. But especially interesting was an additional finding about calorie intake following apple consumption. When healthy adults consumed one medium-sized apple approximately 15 minutes before a meal, their caloric intake at that meal decreased by an average of 15%. Since meals in this study averaged 1,240 calories, a reduction of 15% meant a reduction of 186 calories, or about 60 more calories than contained in a medium apple. For these researchers, "getting ahead" in calories with a net reduction of 60 calories was a welcomed outcome of the study, and an extra benefit to their study's primary conclusion-the importance of whole apples (versus other more processed apple forms) in helping us manage our hunger and feeling more satisfied with our food.
• Scientists have recently shown that important health benefits of apples may stem from their impact on bacteria in the digestive tract. In studies on laboratory animals, intake of apples is now known to significantly alter amounts of two bacteria (Clostridiales and Bacteriodes) in the large intestine. As a result of these bacterial changes, metabolism in the large intestine is also changed, and many of these changes appear to provide health benefits. For example, due to bacterial changes in the large intestine, there appears to be more fuel available to the large intestine cells (in the form of butyric acid) after apple is consumed. We expect to see future studies confirming these results in humans, and we are excited to think about potential health benefits of apple that will be related to its impact on bacterial balance in our digestive tract.

The Granny Smith apple was discovered growing by a creek at the Ryde, New South Wales property of a Mrs Smith, who was also known as 'Granny' Smith. The seedling had grown from some rotting apples that were dumped there, and this particular seedling was later found growing and producing the large green apples so well-known today.

Another source states that the Granny Smith apple developed around 1865 from a chance seedling propagated by Maria Ann Smith, nicknamed "Granny Smith" - hence the name of the apple. The Granny Smith apple came about when "Granny Smith" discovered a seedling apple, which had developed from the remains of some French crab apples grown in Tasmania, growing by a creek on her farm. It wasn't commercially developed in Granny Smith's own lifetime, but the apple continued to be cultivated by local orchardists.

An Apple Knocker is:

1. A farm laborer who literally "knocks" the apples off the tree.

2. A cocktail drink containing Vodka, Strawberry Liqueur, Lemon Juice, & Apple Cider.

3. Another "Apple Knocker" drink recipe contains Apple Cider, Cherry Liqueur, Cloves, Lemon juice, Nutmeg, Orange juice, Cinnamon (stick), & Sugar.

4. A brass apple-shaped door knocker.

The cut side gets exposed do the oxygen in the air and starts to react. Polyphenols are oxidised by oxygen from air when the 'polyphenol oxidase' enzyme is freed after cellular disruption (damage).

So the browning of cut apples is oxidation - the same as rust. Potatoes, apples and avocados to name a few do it. if you squeeze lemon juice on avocados, and put potatoes and apples in acidulated water (water with lemon juice) they won't oxidize.

A different thought...

It rots. The apple has been decomposed. So the answer would be decomposition.