Apples

A fresh apple is definately an ideal tasty snack. Apples are easy to carry, tasty, filling and of course low in calories. Apples can be eaten in many ways, fresh, cooked in tons of ways, in pies, crisps, tarts or even in stuffing; and made into jelly, apple butter and apple sauce. Apples should be washed before eating and some believe even peeled before you eat it especially for fruit that has been waxed.

The old saying "An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away" even so the average apple provides only 8mg of vitamin C, or 20 percent of the recommended daily amount. The skin of the apple contains a small amount of beta carotene, the flesh adds some potassium and iron.

Apples are a great source of fiber, especially pectin, which helps lower blood cholesterol levels. Also another type of soluble fiber in apples absorbs large amounts of water from the intestinal tract, which helps prevent constipation. Because of its taste and the fact that it is easily digested apple sauce is recommended as an early baby food.

Fructose, the major sugar that occurs naturally in apples, is absorbed into the blood stream more slowly than sucrose (table sugar) thus, diabetics can enjoy an apple without the fear of an abrupt increase in blood glucose levels.

Biting and chewing an apple stimulates the gums, and the sweetness of the apple prompts an increase in the flow of saliva, which reduces toothe decay by lowering the levels of bacteria in the mouth.

Dried apples are usually served as a snack or used to make pies, dried apples are a more concentrated source of energy than the fresh apple. It takes about 5 pounds of apples to make 1 pound of dried apple slices, which provide about 70 calories per ounce. You still get the benefit of fiber but most of the nutrients are lost during drying. Dried apples are less likely to promote cavities than other dried fruits.