Did you know that there are over a thousand varieties of apples in the world? Apples are among the most loved and consumed fruits in every season. Industrial conservation methods make them available throughout the year. However, it is important to remember that the natural ripening period of apples is on average from the end of August to the end of October. This is the time frame in which we can be sure that we are buying truly fresh fruit.
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Did you know that they exist in the world over a thousand varieties of apples? Apples are among the most loved and consumed fruits in every season. The methods of industrial conservation in fact, they make them available throughout the year. However, it is important to remember that the natural ripening period of apples is on average from the end of August at the end of October. In some areas the ripening is slower and it is possible to have fresh apples until January. After that, those stored in a modified atmosphere enter the market.
Index
The property
The famous saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" it certainly has a grain of truth, given the numerous beneficial properties of this portentous fruit. The nutrients present in the composition of the apple make it the most fruit complete. In an apple there are water, fiber, proteins, sugars and mineral salts in perfect balance.
These characteristics make it the most suitable fruit to start it weaning. The intake of apples is also particularly recommended for elderly, as this fruit stimulates the rejuvenation of the organism. Consuming apples regularly allows our body to always keep its tissues vigorous and elastic and guarantees us to consolidate and maintain a general physical well-being.
Apples are rich in mineral salts essential for the proper functioning of our body. Among them we remember in particular iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. There is also no shortage of Vitamins, in particular vitamin A and vitamin C, essential to strengthen our immune system against the ailments of the cold season.
It is amazing how a single fruit can have so many positive effects on our body. The apple has property antianemic and diuretic. It is able to regulate the functioning of the intestine, both in case of colitis and constipation. It works by lowering the level of cholesterol and blood sugar and can therefore be consumed both by those suffering from cardiovascular problems and by diabetics (except for particular contraindications by your doctor).
An apple is one of the most suitable fruits in those times of the year, such as summer or autumn, when you want it detoxify your body. It works by helping us eliminate waste, including harmful substances from the air we breathe. This occurs thanks to the high content of pectin, which acts as a chelator on heavy metals, in particular lead and mercury, which accumulate in thepolluted air Some cities.
Recent studies have also highlighted how apples can be an excellent adjuvant in therapies to combatasthma. A further point of merit must be acknowledged to them peel, which should always be consumed, especially when you have the opportunity to taste apples from organic farming. Some researchers of the Cornell University, in the United States, have found that some substances contained in the peel of apples, the triterpenoids, would be able to fight the proliferation of cancer cells.
How to store them
We all know very well the need to wash apples thoroughly, as is the case with any other fruit, before consuming them. However, it is necessary to remember that washing should only take place shortly before the time to taste them, so that they can be kept longer. In fact, contact with water facilitates its deterioration. Take this into account when you get hold of a box of apples that you want to keep for a long time.
Apples can be stored in a cool, dry place away from light up to one month. It is necessary to check from time to time that there are no rotten apples in your box, which could “infect” those still in good condition. It is good to remember that fresh apples they cannot be frozen Their pulp can be stored in the freezer only after cooking. Eventually, the apples can be stored in the refrigerator, in case you need them to remain intact for a few more days.
The ideal place to store apples is the cellar, as long as it is not an excessively humid environment. A foresight that you should have is to put the apples away away from potatoes. Apples in fact secrete ethylene, which could accelerate the ripening of potatoes too much, one of the vegetables most sensitive to this natural gas.
How to use them
Apples lend themselves to numerous uses in the kitchen. From apples you can get some beverages, including ciders, juices, smoothies and smoothies. They are also the fruits with which it is easier to prepare jams, due to their content of natural pectin. Adding a few slices of apple to other fruit jams will allow you not to use industrial gellifiers.
The characteristic flavor of apples makes them suitable to be among the ingredients to be used for the preparation of savory dishes, such as risottos and soups. They can be cooked in the oven, having the foresight to sprinkle them with a little juice lemon, to prevent them from blackening during cooking.
They are also used to produce theapple vinegar, useful for rinsing and gargling to combat inflammation of the mouth and throat, to restore shine to the hair by adding it to the last rinse water, or as an adjuvant in ecological cleaning the house.
Their use in pastry is well known. They are the undisputed protagonists of the classic apple pie, of fruit tarts and the strudel. With the pulp of apples you can get an excellent filling for biscuits. They are delicious just blanched and sprinkled with cinnamon, but it is also an excellent habit to consume them raw. In fact, an apple at the end of a meal helps to rebalance thestomach ph, aiding digestion.
Marta Albè
