You may have heard the term "Super food" being tossed around in some health blogs. But what exactly is a Super food? Super foods are whole foods that are not processed, so they retain more of their balanced combination of nutrients that nature gave them. These nutrients include a mix of the essentials- fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other familiar nutrients that our bodies require to function properly and maintain good health. Super foods also include various natural plant substances called phytonutrients that play an important role in reducing health ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. The best way to capture all of these benefits is to eat a variety of whole foods. This series will help you choose which super foods you should be including in your diet. Lets get to it...
Today's Super food is Apples. Apples are a great low-fat, high fiber snack. There are tons of varieties to choose from when it comes to apples. Some are tart or sweet, crunchy, soft, and juicy. Apples help make better heart health. Apples provide Vitamin C, an antioxidant that may help prevent heart disease and some cancers. Apples soluble fiber also helps keep blood cholesterol levels in check. They also stimulate your gums when you chew on an apple. This makes for a healthy smile.
If you want to bake with apples, you should choose Empire, Rome Beauty, Cortland, Northern Spy or Ida Red. These styles deliver flavor and keep their shape when cooked. Golden Delicious, Jonathan and Winesap are considered all purpose apples. And for eating raw, some great choices are Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp.
Apples prefer humid air, so the crisper drawer of the refrigerator is the best place to store them. Some varieties will keep for several months, though most get mealy in a month or two. If you purchase apples from the supermarket, be aware that contain a layer of wax on the exterior. This wax can seal in pesticide residues on the skin. So you always want to wash your apples before you eat them. You could peel the skin, but this would remove a lot of beneficial fiber. To keep apples from browning when cut, sprinkle a little lemon juice on cut surfaces. That is all for now. Thanks for reading.