An Apple A Day: The Amazing Apple, 5 Ways
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” may be true in more ways than one. The amazing apple is great raw, cooked, juiced or baked into a chip. But there are many ways to enjoy the health benefits of apples, and the foods we make from them.
A whole raw apple is a great source of fiber, at 3g or 12% of your daily intake, and just 65 calories. With natural sugars ranging from about 7 -13g depending on the variety, apples are a natural energy boost and good source of vitamin C. But what else can you do with an apple besides eat it?
Applesauce
Organic, unsweetened applesauce is a great way to keep your metabolism up during those long working hours. So eat some homemade or store-bought applesauce to keep your stomach occupied between meals. Good fiber and no added sugar means steady energy. And individual snack packs make it portable, too. Add some nuts for crunch, flavor and protein.
Apple Chips
Baked apple chips are a delicious and nutritious snack readily available in stores. Different apple varieties and added natural flavors give you lots of choices in the apple chip world. But you can use your own dehydrator at home to make crisp apple chips too. Add cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger for an added zing.
Fresh Juice or Smoothie
If you have a juicer or high-speed blender, you can drink your apples throughout the day. But starting off your mornings is an awesome way to get your daily apple fix in. Add kale, celery, cucumber and other greens to make a complete green juice or smoothie. Wheatgrass will give you a great buzz as well.
Fermented Apple Cider
Buying apple cider is great at peak season, but using fresh apple juice to make a homemade cider ferment is always preferred for that hands-on goodness. Break open a few capsules of your favorite probiotic blends into some apple juice in a glass jar, then cover tightly with a breathable cloth or loosely with a lid. Make sure you have about 5-10 billion organisms (stated on the bottle label) to about 16 oz of juice. Stir thoroughly and let it sit unrefrigerated and out of direct sunlight for about 2 weeks. You’ll have a fizzy, super health and drinking probiotic beverage that even your grandkids will love.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits, like its probiotic, antioxidant and astringent properties. It also stimulates digestion and revs up your metabolism, helping to promote healthy weight loss over time. And the acetic acid in ACV kills or blocks bacteria and viruses from reproducing and causing illness. That really would keep the doctor away! But the two-step fermentation process makes it a different animal than home fermented apple cider. So why not mix one into the other? A double dose of apple would definitely brighten any day.
A whole raw apple is a great source of fiber, at 3g or 12% of your daily intake, and just 65 calories. With natural sugars ranging from about 7 -13g depending on the variety, apples are a natural energy boost and good source of vitamin C. But what else can you do with an apple besides eat it?
Applesauce
Organic, unsweetened applesauce is a great way to keep your metabolism up during those long working hours. So eat some homemade or store-bought applesauce to keep your stomach occupied between meals. Good fiber and no added sugar means steady energy. And individual snack packs make it portable, too. Add some nuts for crunch, flavor and protein.
Apple Chips
Baked apple chips are a delicious and nutritious snack readily available in stores. Different apple varieties and added natural flavors give you lots of choices in the apple chip world. But you can use your own dehydrator at home to make crisp apple chips too. Add cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger for an added zing.
Fresh Juice or Smoothie
If you have a juicer or high-speed blender, you can drink your apples throughout the day. But starting off your mornings is an awesome way to get your daily apple fix in. Add kale, celery, cucumber and other greens to make a complete green juice or smoothie. Wheatgrass will give you a great buzz as well.
Fermented Apple Cider
Buying apple cider is great at peak season, but using fresh apple juice to make a homemade cider ferment is always preferred for that hands-on goodness. Break open a few capsules of your favorite probiotic blends into some apple juice in a glass jar, then cover tightly with a breathable cloth or loosely with a lid. Make sure you have about 5-10 billion organisms (stated on the bottle label) to about 16 oz of juice. Stir thoroughly and let it sit unrefrigerated and out of direct sunlight for about 2 weeks. You’ll have a fizzy, super health and drinking probiotic beverage that even your grandkids will love.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits, like its probiotic, antioxidant and astringent properties. It also stimulates digestion and revs up your metabolism, helping to promote healthy weight loss over time. And the acetic acid in ACV kills or blocks bacteria and viruses from reproducing and causing illness. That really would keep the doctor away! But the two-step fermentation process makes it a different animal than home fermented apple cider. So why not mix one into the other? A double dose of apple would definitely brighten any day.
Originally Published by Boomers On...
