Benefits of Eating Apples
The old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” didn’t come to be out of nowhere, right? Apples are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One antioxidant, in particular, called Quercetin even has neuroprotective effects and reduces inflammation to regulate one’s immune responses and protect against asthma.
Eating apples regularly has been linked to lower risk of stroke, better bone density (which contributes to bone health), and may even protect against stomach lining damage from overuse of NSAIDs.
Benefits of Eating Apple Skins
• Furthermore, put that peeler away! By eating the skin of an apple you consume all the important fiber and flavonoids necessary for optimal health.
• A medium apple with skin contains approximately 4.5 grams of total fiber (soluble and insoluble).
Fiber: slows digestion, so you feel fuller and don’t overeat, can help decrease both diarrhea and constipation, lowers cholesterol
• Other phytonutrients, such as resveratrol and flavonoids, found in the skin of red apples may help to slow the growth of cancer cells, protect cells against oxidative damage, protect pancreatic cells, possibly lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes
Apples are delicious eaten on their own as a snack, sliced into cereal, paired with peanut butter or cheese, or added to salads.
Some of us may need some help incorporating apples into our diet ☺. In addition to eating them whole and raw, they can be baked, sautéed, stuffed, and put into just about any dessert you can think of.
Here’s a great apple muffin recipe we found courtesy of www.cookieandkate.com
Apple Muffin Recipe
Amazing, healthy apple muffins made with maple syrup and whole wheat flour! No one will guess that this simple cinnamon apple muffin recipe is good for you, too. Recipe yields 12 muffins.
INGREDIENTS
1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup grated apple
1 cup apple diced into ¼” cubes
⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup maple syrup or honey*
2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
½ cup plain Greek yogurt (I used full-fat but any variety should do)
½ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If necessary, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and doesn’t require any grease).
2) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Blend well with a whisk. Add the grated apple (if it is dripping wet, gently squeeze it over the sink to release some extra moisture) and chopped apple. Stir to combine.
3) In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and maple syrup and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt, applesauce and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)
4) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). The batter will be thick, but don’t worry! Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
5) Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.
