Apple / apple pulp: So healthy is the low-calorie snack

Apple general

Over time, the apple has established itself as the most popular fruit in Europe. However, the apple does not originally come from Europe, but from Central and Western Asia.

This apple of origin is also called wild apple or crab apple and was much smaller in shape than our present apple.

The first cultivated apples were in ancient Rome and ancient Greece. But these apples were reserved for the higher social classes. It was not until the 16th century that apples became a popular food in Europe.

Since then, the apple season goes from July to November. The time span is so large because the 4,500 varieties currently grown have different harvest times.  

What sounds like a lot is actually unimpressive, because in the 18th and 19th centuries, 20,000 different varieties were known. Over time, however, those varieties that are particularly easy to grow and thus sell best have been able to prevail. 

Unfortunately, many of the old apple varieties are in danger of disappearing completely. This is a shame, especially for allergy sufferers, because old apple varieties are often better tolerated. This is due to the high content of polyphenols in old apple varieties. Polyphenols are secondary plant substances and as such are able to bind allergens.

However, they have been removed from today’s popular varieties to gain a sweeter taste.

These vitamins & minerals are in the apple

We all know the saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. But what is actually behind it?

This statement refers to the high content of valuable vitamins & minerals found in the apple.

Vitamins

The apple as a source of vitamin C

It is not uncommon to speak of the high vitamin C content in apples. Here, however, it is important to know that the vitamin C content is highly dependent on the variety. Some varieties come up with 20-30mg of vitamin C, while others have only 5-10mg of vitamin C.

If you want to get as much vitamin C as possible from apple consumption, it is best to use local varieties in season. Here you can expect at least 15mg of vitamin C.

The recommended intake for vitamin C is about 100mg per day (slightly higher for breastfeeding, pregnant women and smokers). To reach 100g via apples alone, an average of 800g of apples would need to be consumed. That’s a little unrealistic.

Nevertheless, apples – built into a wholesome and balanced diet – are a good source of vitamin C.

High antioxidant potential

The numerous vitamins in apples also have a high antioxidant potential.

That is, they protect your cells from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when your body enters stressful situations, such as during a hard workout, and produces free radicals. These attack your cells and should be fought by natural antioxidants.

The abundant secondary plant substances such as quercetin, pentosans and galactans also help here. They also help to protect your cells and thus strengthen your immune system, among other things.

Digestive substances in apple

The apples convince not only with abundant vitamins and minerals, but also with a high fiber content.

The dietary fiber supports intestinal activity and prevents constipation. In this way, they can bind harmful metabolic products in the intestine and help your body to break down and defend itself against toxic substances.

In particular, the digestive fibers pectin and cellulose are found in high quantities in apples. For this reason, apples are also often recommended for digestive problems.

Apples to promote heart health

It has been shown that regular consumption of apples can lower LDL cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol is also often referred to as “bad” cholesterol because it can be partly responsible for a number of health problems.

A study was conducted on this at Florida State University. Study participants consumed 75g of dried apples per day for one year. Apart from that, the diet was not changed.

After one year, a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol was observed.

An additional advantage of dried apples is their high pectin content. High fiber intake increases the feeling of satiety, which can promote weight loss.

Apple pulp vs. apple sauce

Apples not only have numerous healthy ingredients, they are also easy to process.

A long-time favorite way to utilize apples is to turn them into apple pulp. Apple pulp is pureed apples.

It is important to know the difference between apple pulp and applesauce. In fact, applesauce is pureed apples, which are processed with sugar into a pulp.

On the other hand, no sugar (or other sweeteners) is added to the apple pulp during processing.

Apple pulp for fiber

As already mentioned, apples – and thus also apple pulp – are rich in fiber. Apple pulp is therefore particularly suitable as a high-fiber snack.

Many (athletes) have problems reaching the recommended intake of 30g of fiber per day. So incorporating apple pulp into your diet is an easy way to increase your fiber intake and thus promote gut health.

For this purpose, it is advantageous to use the shell as well. This, in fact, contains a high amount of good fiber.

High satiating effect

Apple pulp – like the dried apples – has a high saturating effect. This makes apple pulp the perfect snack for people who want to lose weight.

A cup of apple pulp provides on average only about 100 kilocalories, but still a high degree of satiety. So it’s a great way to avoid cravings and satisfy sweet cravings.

Nutrients in apple pulp

On average, the following macro-nutrients are found per 100g of apple pulp:

If you want to increase the protein content a little, you can mix in nuts or chia seeds, for example. On the other hand, to push the carbohydrate content up a bit, oatmeal can be mixed in.

The micronutrients in apple pulp correspond to those from the apple. If the apple pulp is refined with lemon, the content of vitamin C increases.