Interesting results published on the British Apples and Pears website, confirms the nutritional benefits of eating apples and pears as part of a healthy diet.
New scientific research reveals that apples and pears are in the top five for nutritional quality. They truly are a superfood.
We all know that fruit and vegetables are good for us, but some pack a bigger nutritional punch than others.
The research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at people in three cohort studies in the US and conducted biomarker analysis on more than 41,000 participants.
Of the 52 fruit and vegetable items assessed by scientists, 19 were identified as high-metabolic quality, with apples and pears in the top five. To our mind, this really makes them a superfood.
The study found that the higher the intake of high-metabolic quality fruit and veg, like apples and pears, the lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
We hear a lot about the health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables, but this new study also highlights the importance of eating the right quality as well as quantity of fruit and vegetables.
This research confirms what many have always known - an apple a day really does keep the doctor away.
The more high-quality fruit and vegetables - like apples and pears - we can eat, the lower our chances of getting a serious disease.
How long do British apples store in the fridge?
"Do you keep your apples in the fridge or the fruit bowl? One of the great things about British apples is that they are great value because there is so little food waste. You can buy a pack of apples and, if you keep them in your fridge, they'll still be as delicious six weeks later as they were on the day you bought them.
Lots of people like to keep a couple of apples out on in a fruit bowl. That's wonderful to keep them front of mind and they will certainly last well for around a week in the fruit bowl, but for even better storage, pop them in the fridge. You could even keep most of the bag in the fridge and pop a new one into the fruit bowl each day as they get eaten.
In terms of where in the fridge, 'the kitchn', did a test of all sorts of different combinations of packaging and locations. All the fridge options worked really well to keep the apples in perfect conditions for around six weeks. The Crisper Drawer is the best options.
There aren't many fruits that have offer quite such good value as British apples. They store well, need no cooking, are packed with vitamins and minerals and make the ideal on-the-go snack.
Pick up a pack of British apples, eat one now and store the rest in the fridge for later!
Home Storage - The English Apple Man Comments
Once bought and taken home, "how should apple and pears by stored?"
"Different varieties have different requirements and all have an inbuilt shelf life, taken from the tree the variation can be extreme. Early apples tend to have a short shelf life (even in cold store) which is one reason varieties like Discovery are reducing dramatically 'year on year' - but mainstream varieties like: Cox Orange Pippin, which in my opinion is still the beast eating apple if eaten in the best condition. e.g. "from the tree" or in the first month "from harvest" BUT when stored in commercial stores and kept into the New Year will still deliver a good eating experience, but will not keep long in an ambient temperature.
Cox for instance, loses it's texture quickly if left in a fruit bowl in a 'home environment' (central heating) while modern varieties retain texture for much longer: Braeburn will hold its texture for a week or two in the fruit bowl scenario!
An apple a day... could be good for our sleep!
Snacking on an apple in the evening could be the ideal way to ensure you get a night of quality rest. According to Manchester University, apples contain tryptophan which prompts the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
Apples are also rich in vitamins C and B6 which are known to help us sleep.
An empty stomach can often interfere with a good night's sleep, so an apple could be the ideal pre-bedtime snack. It's light enough not to sit heavily on the stomach, and the fibre in apples ensures the slow release of energy and avoids any sugar spikes just as you're trying to wind down.
Try an apple in the evening as part of your bedtime routine.
More from BAPL on this subject can be found on BAPL Website
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man