· Apples Come in All Shades of Reds, Greens, Yellows. · Two Pounds

[bbauman07]

· Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, yellows.
· Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie.
· Apple blossom is the state flower of Michigan.
· 2500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States.
· 7500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world.
· 100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.
· Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.
· Apples are grown in all 50 states.
· In 2002 United States consumers ate an average of 42.2 pounds of fresh apples and processed apple products. That's a lot of applesauce!
· Sixty-two percent of the 2002 U.S. apple crop was eaten as fresh fruit.
· 39 percent of apples are processed into apple products; 21 percent of this is for juice and cider.
· The top apple producing states are Washington, New York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania and Virginia, which produced over 83 percent of the nation’s 2001-crop apple supply.
· Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.
· A medium apples is about 80 calories.
· Apples are a great source of the fiber pectin. One apple has five grams of fiber.
· In 2001 there were 8,000 apple growers with orchards covering 430,200 acres.
· The pilgrims planted the first United States apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
· The science of apple growing is called pomology.
· Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.
· Most apples are still picked by hand in the fall.
· Apple varieties range in size from a little larger than a cherry to as large as a grapefruit.
· Apples are propagated by two methods: grafting or budding.
· The apple variety ‘Delicious' is the most widely grown in the United States.
· In Europe, France, Italy and Germany are the leading apple producing countries.
· The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Sea.
· Apples were the favorite fruit of ancient Greeks and Romans.
· Apples are a member of the rose family.
· Apples harvested from an average tree can fill 20 boxes that weigh 42 pounds each.
· Americans eat 19.6 pounds or about 65 fresh apples every year.
· 25 percent of an apple's volume is air. That is why they float.
· The largest apple picked weighed three pounds.
· Europeans eat about 46 pounds of apples annually.
· The average size of a United States orchard is 50 acres.
· Many growers use dwarf apple trees.
· Charred apples have been found in prehistoric dwellings in Switzerland.
· Most apple blossoms are pink when they open but gradually fade to white.
· Some apple trees will grown over forty feet high and live over a hundred years.
· Most apples can be grown farther north than most other fruits because they blossom late in spring, minimizing frost damage.
· It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.
· Apples are the second most valuable fruit grown in the United States. Oranges are first.
· In colonial time apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth.
· United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts the 2000 apple crop to be at 254.2 million 42 pound cartons.
· Total apple production in 2001 was 229 million cartons valued at $1.5 billion.
· The largest U. S. apple crop was 277.3 million cartons in 1998.
· In 1999 the People's Republic of China led the world in apple production followed by the United States.
· Apples have five seed pockets or carpels. Each pocket contains seeds. The number of seeds per carpel is determined by the vigor and health of the plant. Different varieties of apples will have different number of seeds.
· China is the leading producer of apples with over 1.2 billion bushels grown in 2001.
· World's top apple producers are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy.
· The Lady or Api apple is one of the oldest varieties in existence.
· Newton Pippin apples were the first apples exported from America in 1768, some were sent to Benjamin Franklin in London.
· In 1730 the first apple nursery was opened in Flushing, New York.
· One of George Washington's hobbies was pruning his apple trees.
· America's longest-lived apple tree was reportedly planted in 1647 by Peter Stuyvesant in his Manhattan orchard and was still bearing fruit when a derailed train struck it in 1866.
· Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated.
· A peck of apples weight 10.5 pounds.
· A bushel of apples weights about 42 pounds and will yield 20-24 quarts of applesauce.
· Archeologists have found evidence that humans have been enjoying apples since at least 6500 B.C.
· The world's largest apple peel was created by Kathy Wafler Madison on October 16, 1976, in Rochester, NY. It was 172 feet, 4 inches long. (She was 16 years old at the time and grew up to be a sales manager for an apple tree nursery.)
· It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider.
· Apples account for 50% of the world's deciduous fruit tree production
· The old saying, “ an apple a day, keeps the doctor away ”. This saying comes from am old English adage, “ To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg his bread.”
· Don't peel your apple. Two-thirds of the fiber and lots of antioxidants are found in the peel Antioxidants help to reduce damage to cells, which can trigger some diseases.
· The five most popular apples in the United States are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith.
· The estimated apple crop for 2005 is about 234 million bushels of apples. That is about 79 apples per person.

 

[bbauman07]

APPLES REALLY ARE GOOD FOR YOU!
Eating fresh apples is always good for you, but to get the full nutritional benefits associated with eating apples you should eat at least one fresh apple every day. The average U.S. consumer eats about 19 pounds of fresh apples a year — about one apple per week. Ongoing consumer attitude tracking in nine major markets across the United States has shown that Washington apples remain number one as far as consumers are concerned. According to a one report, 56 percent of those surveyed named Washington as the brand they look for when buying apples.

WHOLE-BODY HEALTH BENEFITS
Lower blood cholesterol, improved bowel function, reduced risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.
The disease-fighting profile of apples provides a multitude of health benefits, including a potential decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Several recent studies suggest apples may provide a "whole-body" health benefit.

A number of components in apples, most notably fiber and phytonutrients have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol and improve bowel function, and may be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. Preliminary research from Finland indicates diets with the highest intake of apple phytonutrients were associated with a 46 percent reduction in the incidence of lung cancer. Findings indicate that two apples a day or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice reduced the damaging effects of the “bad” LDL cholesterol.


CANCER PREVENTION
Over the past four years, apple consumption has been linked with reduced cancer risk in several studies. A 2001 Mayo Clinic study indicated that quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. A Cornell University study indicated phytochemicals in the skin of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 percent. The National Cancer Institute has reported that foods containing flavonoids like those found in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent.


HEALTHY LUNGS
Two recent British studies indicated that eating apples can improve lung health. A study of Welsh men indicated that people who ate at least five apples per week experience better lung function. Researchers at the University of Nottingham reported that those who ate five apples per week also had a lower risk for respiratory disease. In the Netherlands at the University of Groningen, apples were singled out as a fruit that could cut smokers’ risk of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in half. Scientists believe antioxidants found in apples may ward off disease by countering oxygen’s damaging effects on the body.

HEART DISEASE & STROKE PREVENTION
A Finnish study published in 1996 showed that people who eat a diet rich in flavonoids have a lower incidence of heart disease. Other studies indicate that flavonoids may help prevent strokes.

WEIGHT LOSS
Apples are a delicious source of dietary fiber, and dietary fiber helps aid digestion and promotes weight loss. A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, more than most cereals. Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol, so they are a delicious snack and dessert food that’s good for you.

UC-DAVIS: APPLES ARE HEART-HEALTHY
Researchers at the University of California-Davis recently reported that apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. In the first study conducted in humans, adults who added two apples, or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice, to their daily diet demonstrated a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that leads to plaque build-up - thereby giving the body more time to rid itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm.

AGE-RELATED MEMORY IMPROVEMENT LINKED WITH CONSUMPTION OF APPLE PRODUCTS
New Study Finds Consuming Apple Juice Associated With Brain Health In Older Animals
LOWELL, MASS. (January 19, 2006) – “An apple a day” now has new meaning for those who want to maintain mental dexterity as they age. New research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss, even in test animals that were not prone to developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

“This new study suggests that eating and drinking apples and apple juice, in conjunction with a balanced diet, can protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress – and that we should eat such antioxidant-rich foods,” notes lead researcher Thomas B. Shea, Ph.D ., director of the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research, whose study was just published in the latest issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Although more research is needed, Shea is excited about these brain health findings, which are encouraging for all individuals who are interested in staying mentally sharp as they age.
Using a well-established animal protocol, Shea and his research colleagues assessed whether consumption of apple juice was protective against oxidative brain damage in aging mice, damage that can lead to memory loss. “These newer findings show that there is something in apples and apple juice that protects brain cells in normal aging, much like the protection we previously saw against Alzheimer-like symptoms,” says Shea.

The researchers evaluated adult and aged mice using a standard diet, a nutrient-deficient diet, and a nutrient-deficient diet supplemented with apple juice concentrate in drinking water. Although the adult mice tested were not affected negatively by the deficient diets, the aged mice were, which is consistent with normal aging due to oxidative neurodegeneration. The effect on cognition among the aged mice was measured through well-established maze tests, followed by an examination of brain tissue. However, the aged mice who consumed the diets supplemented with apple juice performed significantly better on the maze tests and all had less oxidative brain damage than those on the standard diet.

Supplementation by apple juice fully protected the aged mice from the oxidative stress caused by the nutrient-deficient diet. In addition, stronger mental acuity resulted when the aged mice consumed the human equivalent of 2-3 cups of apple juice or approximately 2-4 apples per day. “We believe that this effect is due to the apple’s naturally high level of antioxidants,” states Shea. Previous research with his colleagues also determined that it is not the sugar and energy content of the apple juice, but the antioxidant attributes of apple juice that are responsible for the positive effects.

 

[chefsara]

That information in awesome, Brooke! Thanks!!

 

[adventurechef]

Here are some more Apple/Fruit facts from Canada. I've put these up on my webpage for the season.

My favorite is in the "Fruit Facts" flyer there is a section called "The Truth About Waxing" - I use this tag-line as an attention getter.

One of our University Gardens is having an Apple Festival next weekend. I hope to get many more fun facts to use, as well as taste testing apples and other goodies.

Thanks, Linda

 

[bbauman07]

Thanks for sharing your info also Linda. I'm from Washington State so right now is "apple Season". I will be doing apple recipe like crazy for a while I thought I would sure some of my reaseach.

 

[chef_leeanne]

Here is an apple chart that I have put in my "fall" lapboards. The guests love it.

 

[tlennhoff]

That is a great chart Leeanne. Thanks for sharing.

 

[gilliandanielle]

The benefits of apples and bananas? Where do you guys get this info?? I want to see the benefits of Hostess cupcakes, LOL!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Chef Leeanne - what an awesome chart - I only wish I'd had it for the last two weeks too! I'm using it at shows starting immediately! It's the height of apple season here in Michigan, and apples are everywhere.....and I often wonder myself which apples to use in recipes.

 

[bbauman07]

The benefits of apples and bananas? Where do you guys get this info?? I want to see the benefits of Hostess cupcakes, LOL!!

I do alot of internet research for quick tips for my shows.

The banana info was an email I got.

I could probably do a cupcake search. LOL

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Not cupcakes, but....In line at the Grocery Store, I saw a magazine cover that said "Why You Need To Eat Chocolate Everyday!" Should've bought it!

 

[bbauman07]

I would like to see that one my self too.

 

[gilliandanielle]

I know that dark chocolate has antioxidents in it, but the only dark chocolate I eat is the outside of a peppermint patty! I am a milk chocolate and "brown colored, chocolate flavored chocolate" that really probably isn't even chocolate person!!