Fall apple varieties come in a wide array of tastes and choices . My place of employment, Outpost Natural Foods in Milwaukee Wisconsin, has a huge selection of fall apple varieties to choose from. They are all organic apples and come to our store by way of local growers in our community.
Not only are the fall apple varieties abundant in numbers, they are also abundant in nutrition. In fact apples tend to be a food that has it all. They’re appealing to look at, taste great, are plentiful in nutrition and hey, aren’t they great with the kids?
Nutrition Benefits of Apples
Quercetin, a bioflavonoid that is in great abundance within the apple skin has appeared to decrease risks of a wide variety of cancers that include the lung, liver and prostate types. Research has revealed that quercetin inhibits the growth of cells that are already malignant and assist with the self destruction of cells that are abnormal. Another point of interest with regard to quercetin, is the research that’s been done on this nutrient, showing that the best way to obtain it is in apples. Research has shown taking quercetin in supplement versions isn’t as effective.
Fiber
Fiber is another strong point for apples. In fact, they are rich in fiber of both the insoluable and soluable types alike. It’s also interesting to note that 80% of the fiber in apples is within the fleshy portion of the apple. Pectin is another type of fiber that’s plentiful in the fleshy part of the apple. Pectin, known for creating bulkiness in the stomach will help curb hunger longer. Another credit to pectin is it’s ability to absorb cholesterol from the digestive system and carry it away in the elimination process.
Apple Varieties
Generally, apples alternate from tart to sweet depending on what variety of them you’re eating. Below, I’ve grouped the sweet and tart varieties into separate lists that you can reference, if you’re looking for a specific type of an apple for baking or cooking purposes.
Tart Apples
Granny Smith– A true green apple that is generally tart, however can be sweeter depending on how mature it is. Great all purpose apple.
Honeycrisp- Red and yellow skin that has a citrus type of flavor giving it a tart characteristic. One of the best parts about this apple is the fact that it’s not quick to mature so they keep longer.
Jonathon- With a color combination of red and yellow, this apple is known for holding it’s shape and is highly sought after for baking whole as well as in pies.
Sweet Apples
Red Delicious- This apple is crisp and juicy in nature but will become mealy if allowed to mature too long after it’s harvested. Red Delicious are popular snack items and are great with caramel dip or as caramel apples.
Gala- Red, orange and thin skinned, this apple is great for eating fresh. Also a good choice for various apple salads. I personally like the fresh juice of Gala’s straight out of my juicer.
Spartan- A combination of Macintosh/Red Delicious but with more of a Mac flavor that’s sweeter than a straight Macintosh apple. This is a great apple for baking and has the ability to stay firm after it’s been heated.
Source: Outpost Natural Foods Information Sheet