Discover the incredible health benefits of apples, from the importance of their skin to the advantages of consuming them whole. Learn about cider vinegar's potential role in weight loss and get a wholesome apple muffin recipe!
With or without skin?
The farther you cut into an apple, the fewer nutrients you will find. Many valuable vitamins are to be found directly under the skin. Plus, the apple’s skin provides you with digestion-aiding fiber and has positive effects on your cholesterol level.
- Conclusion: Your apple is healthier with skin (provided you’ve thoroughly washed it before).
Whole or in pieces? Apple or apple juice?
- If you’re striving for a peaceful, enjoyable day, you better cut your apples (for you or the kids) into pieces.
- A Cornell study found that children were ruder and rowdier after having eaten their daily apple as a whole, biting chunks off with their teeth.
- Although blood sugar levels are quite similar in all three cases, apples eaten as a whole had one clear advantage: It kept the test persons fuller longer.
- The smaller the pieces of fiber taken in, the less we have to chew them, and the shorter the feeling of satiety persists.
In the form of cider vinegar
- Many people believe that cider vinegar helps with weight loss.
- In Japan, a study on the subject was conducted with 175 overweight individuals who were administered either cider vinegar or water on a daily basis over a period of 12 weeks.
- Their diets were similar and every test person kept a nutrition diary. In the end, the cider vinegar group had lost 1 to 2 lbs (0.5 to 1 kg) more on average.
- As a result, scientists think that vinegar could play a role in fat reduction. So, if you like cider vinegar, why not drizzle a few spoonfuls over your salad.
Dried apple rings
- They are the perfect snack for your lunch box or on-the-go.
- Plus, you can easily make them at home and they contain a lot of important fiber.
- Since most nutrients are right under the skin, opt for unpeeled apple rings when buying them at the supermarket.
- The downside: In the drying process, the apples lose most of their Vitamin C content.
- Therefore, dried apple rings should be added to your daily apple portion rather than replaced.
Apples in pastries
- Apples pies, apple muffins, apple strudel, etc... they are all delicious. To help you keep your next sweet treat as healthy as possible, we have prepared a recipe for you
- Note: use only half of the sugar, if you prefer less sweet
Whole Grain Apple Muffin Recipe
makes 12 – 15
1 ½ cups whole grain flour (180g)
1 ½ cups cake flour (180g)
1 cup sugar (100g)
1 cup yogurt
½ cup oil (⅛ l)
2 eggs
3 apples
1 TSP baking powder
cinnamon, to taste
Preheat oven to 350° F / 180° C. Beat eggs, sugar, yogurt, and oil until frothy. Peel the apples and cut into cubes. Mix cinnamon, baking powder, and flour in an extra bowl, add apple cubes, and stir until fully coated with the mixture. Mix all ingredients together, line your muffin tins, and evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for approx. 20 minutes.
And…Enjoy!
In a nutshell: It doesn’t matter if you have your daily apple in one of the above-mentioned versions or as puree, compote, or roasted, as long as you eat apples to get their health benefits. The more often, the better 🙂
