Even though organic apples are one of the most popular organic crops in the U.S., there are now just 6% of apple orchard acres dedicated to them. Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Rome, Cripps Pink, and Empire are the top 10 types produced in the United States.
What are the benefits of buying and eating organic apples?
Apples are the ideal autumnal snack because they include the nutrients we need to maintain a strong immune system during the cold and flu season. The majority of cultivars are also rich in phytochemicals including quercetin, catechin, and chlorogenic acid as well as fiber, vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
It’s vital to keep in mind that apples provide a nice combination of soluble and insoluble fibre because the majority of our immune system is located in our gut. Soluble fiber aids in nourishing healthy gut flora and reducing high cholesterol. While insoluble fiber supports the health and cleanliness of your intestines.
Although there is debate about how delicious apples are, they have a low glycemic index and their high fiber and polyphenol content guard against the dreaded blood sugar increases.
Nutritional facts
A midsize apple with a circumference of three inches has the following nutritional makeup:
- Calories: 95
- Protein: 0.5 grams
- Total Fat: 0.3 grams
- Total Carbohydrate: 25 grams
- Fiber: 4.5 grams
- Vitamin C: 14% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Potassium: 6% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 5% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 4% of the DV
Compared to bananas, croissants, and even eggs, apples are also more full and contribute to longer-lasting energy. So, if you’re still not convinced to include more apples in your diet, make sure you read the section below this one on why picking organic apples is so important.
The Benefits of Organic Apples
Scientists have been doing complex comparisons of foods produced by organic and conventional agricultural methods during the past ten years. In particular, when it comes to nutrient density and pesticide levels, they are discovering that not all apples (or tomatoes, kiwis, or milk) are created alike.
All the research comparing the nutritional contents of conventional and organic foods that have been released since 1980 are kept in a database by scientist Charles Benbrook. According to his research of food comparison studies, conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables often contain 30% fewer antioxidants than their organic equivalents. According to Benbrook, eating organic food would boost daily antioxidant intake by roughly the same amount as eating an additional serving of most fruits and vegetables.
Popularity of the apples
Apples are the fourth most popular fruit in the United States, but they rank fifth on a separate list, which ought to make any shopper pause. Apples are ranked fifth on the Environmental Working Group’s (link) annual “dirty dozen” list of goods with the highest pesticide residue levels. However, contrary to what the majority of customers are encouraged to think, apple pesticides cannot simply be washed off. The EWG analyzed USDA data and found that cleaned apples still had over 47 pesticide residues. 98 percent of the more than 700 examined samples of washed apples included the information.
Pesticids
The three herbicides 2,4-D, paraquat, and glyphosate are most frequently used on apples. Syngenta’s Paraquat, a pesticide under investigation because of its association with Parkinson’s disease, is frequently used to spray apples. The USDA claims that nationwide, carbamates and pyrethroids are also utilized in addition to the 81 percent of typical apple orchards that spray organophosphates on apple orchards. As of last year, the U.S. continued to spray chlorpyrifos on apple orchards. This chemical has been linked to lower IQ and a greater prevalence of ADHD in youngsters. Glyphosate, the main component of Monsanto’s renowned herbicide Roundup, is another chemical utilized in the production of apples. Scientists from the state of California and the World Health Organization have connected glyphosate to cancer.
According to the What’s On My Food website, cleaned apples still contain the following pesticide residues:
- 6 — Known or Probable Carcinogens
- 16 — Suspected Hormone Disruptors
- 5 — Neurotoxins
- 6 — Developmental or Reproductive Toxins
In addition to questionable chemicals, the artic apple, a genetically modified apple, is available for purchase. The apple is sometimes referred to as the “non-browning apple” because it doesn’t brown when it is bagged and cut into slices. Even if this product is not genetically modified to survive high concentrations of pesticides, it is still a problem for people who want to completely avoid GMOs. Even Arctic apples may have unintended effects from genetic modification and may have an influence on human health when it comes to GMOs. There aren’t enough long-term studies to determine how these meals will impact both our health and the future of food. Apples grown organically cannot be genetically modified with the benefits of organic apples.
Health benefits
The message is clear: organic apples are the greatest option for benefits of organic apples anyone wishing to add one apple a day to prevent illness. Apples that are organic have a better nutritional richness and don’t include harmful chemicals that are bad for the environment, animals, and human health.
A conventional apple costs not much more than an organic one, but people who continue to purchase conventional apples might not be aware of the sort of food future they are supporting. According to this Forbes article, “more than $7 billion a year would be produced to support local organic farming if only a quarter of the population shifted to buying and eating organic apples. That is a large sum of money that might persuade more farmers to make the pricey switch to organic farming.
Final thought
Finding a local farmer who grows apples or a farmer who imports organic apples to your region is the best way to include apples in your diet. The majority of apples are harvested by hand, and many farmers provide pick-your-own farms where you may choose the ideal organic apples. Apples remain best in cold temperatures once you’ve obtained them. In actuality, apples may ripen up to ten times more quickly at ambient temperature than they would in a refrigerator.
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