Introduction: The proverb "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is familiar to everyone. In daily life, however, the apple is more like a Cinderella—without a dazzling appearance or an expensive price tag. Everyone has eaten it, but few may truly know it... And yet, such a fruit has silently become the most popular fruit in the world.
The World's Most Popular Fruit
How was the world's most popular fruit chosen? A blogger in the U.S. known as "Courage Fish" conducted a tedious yet interesting experiment: searching Google for all currently purchasable fruits. The result? "Apple" topped the list with 413 million pieces of information. Following closely were oranges, bananas, strawberries, and more. The blogger also mentioned in the article that they had intended to search for "apple fruit" to avoid information related to Apple Inc., but after all, "the influence of apples on modern culture and manufacturing also reflects the popularity of this fruit."
Professor Zhang Wen from the College of Agronomy and Biotechnology at China Agricultural University explained: "It can be said that the apple is the most important fruit in the world. Currently, apples are grown in more than 80 countries globally, with China being the largest producer. The Fuji apple has become the world's most cultivated variety. The global annual apple production exceeds 60 million tons. What does that mean? Assuming each apple weighs 200 grams (a medium-sized Fuji), then the world consumes nearly 400 billion apples every year. Some are eaten directly, while a large number are made into apple cider, apple juice, jam, and sold worldwide."
Xiao Wei Wang, a senior agronomist at the Forestry and Fruit Tree Research Institute of the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, also told the Life Times that there are many reasons for the apple's fame. First, apple cultivation is highly adaptable and can grow in many suitable regions, with not overly demanding environmental requirements. Second, apples are durable and can be stored for long periods. "The apples we eat this season, except for some early-season Gala apples, are all from last year," Zhang added. Third, apples are easy to process into a variety of foods such as wine, juice, jam, and dried fruit, further expanding their range of consumption. Fourth, apples have a crisp texture and rich nutrition, appealing to palates worldwide.
Research has also found that the apple is a very ancient "fruit." According to a report on August 29 by the British Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times, about 60 million years ago, a catastrophe that led to the extinction of dinosaurs also gave birth to apple trees. Besides being a food, the apple also reflects the progress of human civilization. Someone once summarized "the four apples that influenced the world": the apple Adam and Eve ate became the origin of humanity; Paris won Venus with a golden apple; a falling green apple led Newton to unravel the mystery of gravity; and Socrates used a wax apple to test his students, discovering Plato with his keen eye...
Apple Mille Crêpe
The全科医生 in Food
In the February 1866 issue of "Notes and Queries," the apple was described as follows: "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread." This modified proverb has been quoted for nearly 150 years. Although the statement is exaggerated, Cheng Yiyong, chairman of the Chinese Nutrition Society, has also stated that apples are a "comprehensive health fruit." They are rich in organic acids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, polyphenols, and flavonoid nutrients. In a list of "The World's Healthiest Foods," apple ranked first, becoming the veritable "king of fruits" for being "nutritionally dense," "naturally delicious," "easy to purchase," and "affordable for everyone."
Barbara Kami, an organic food expert with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said that the sources of "sour" and "sweet" in apples are also very beneficial. Although apples are highly acidic, they are not harmful; their acidity consists of 90% malic acid and 10% citric acid. The sweetness comes from sucrose and fructose, both natural sugars that can be eaten by diabetics. In addition, mature apples contain 80% water and zero fat, making them ideal for weight loss. One apple is equivalent to a quarter of the daily recommended fruits and vegetables. Apples are high in potassium and low in sodium, which can partially counteract the high-salt diets of modern people. Furthermore, apples have a toothbrush-like effect; chewing them can clean teeth and kill oral bacteria.
The U.S. website "Discover Health" recently published an article reporting that besides the well-known vitamin C, apples also contain three special "star ingredients" that offer numerous health benefits. Pectin: This soluble fiber helps lower blood pressure and blood sugar. It also helps lower the body's "bad cholesterol" levels and, like other fibers, helps the digestive system stay healthy. Boron: This nutrient, abundant in apples, can strengthen bones and improve brain function. Quercetin: A flavonoid found in apples, this nutrient can reduce the risk of various cancers, including lung and breast cancer. It can also mitigate the damage caused by free radicals and delay the onset of various degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.
Apple Juice
Four Big Questions About Eating Apples
While apples are nutritious, people still have many questions regarding variety selection and consumption methods.
Question 1: Should you peel an apple before eating it?
"This has always been a point of disagreement," Zhang Wen said. "The nutrients in apple peels are very rich, but people also worry about pesticide residues. In fact, apples from standard cultivation basically meet pollution-free standards. They are 'bagged' when they are 'young' and have minimal contact with pesticides, so they can be washed and eaten directly. Generally, apples with neat shapes, smooth surfaces, lighter colors, and little variation between fruits are often from bagged production." Jiang Weibo, a professor at the College of Food Science at China Agricultural University, warned that cheap apples bought from street vendors or fallen apples mixed in with low-grade products have a higher chance of pesticide contamination, so it is safer to peel them before eating.
Question 2: Which apple is the most nutritious?
"From Red Fuji, Yellow Delicious to Granny Smith, although these apples look very different, their nutritional content is almost the same, with only variations in sugar and organic acid levels," Zhang said. "However, in terms of texture and taste, Golden Delicious is soft, Fuji is crisp, Granny Smith is tart, and Guoguang is sweet, so people can choose according to their preferences."
Question 3: How many apples should you eat a day?
Fu Jinru, chairman of the Tianjin Nutrition Society, stated that the "Chinese Dietary Guidelines" recommend eating 200-400 grams of fruit daily, which can basically be met by one large Fuji apple. "However, there's no need to strictly follow 'an apple a day'; 3-4 per week is sufficient, and you can穿插 eat other seasonal fruits." Additionally, because apples are firm, it's best to chew them slowly to avoid overeating and damaging the stomach and intestines. The best time to eat an apple is between meals, Fu said. Having an apple as a snack can provide the body and brain with water and nutrients, create a feeling of fullness, and reduce the amount of food eaten during main meals.
Question 4: Can apple juice or jam replace a whole apple?
Jinru said that among processed apple products, juice has the least nutritional loss. Jam may lose some water-soluble vitamins due to heating and often has added sugar. Dried apples come in two types: freeze-dried apples preserve nutrients well, while fried apples lose more nutrients and are high in calories. Other apple products include apple cider, which has a low alcohol content and a mellow taste suitable for the elderly; and apple cider vinegar, which has weight loss effects, but it's best not to drink it on an empty stomach.
Apple Mini Pies
Celery dry
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