There’s great wisdom in old sayings and apples more than justify their ‘One apple a day keeps the doctor away’ reputation.

Sometimes overlooked because they’re so common, it’s time to spend some time singing the praises of this wonder-food!

Apples have been found to help with cancer prevention (breast, lung, liver, colon cancer), diabetes management, weight loss, high cholesterol, osteoporosis prevention, digestion and elimination, heart disease prevention, liver and gall bladder cleansing, healthier gums, constipation, diarrhea.

To get the most out of your apples:

Eat them raw: cooking results in loss of nutrients, so does juicing and extracting of pulp.
Eat the skin: fibers and many useful compounds are found in the skin or just under it.
Pick them organic: in that way you can safely eat the skin without worrying about pesticides residues.
And unbruised: a damaged apple will start emitting ethylene gas which will cause rapid riping then rotting of the fruit in question and others around it.

As for the color of the apple… it seems to matter:

Red apples would contain more anti-oxidants (cancer-fighting).
Green apples would be better for liver function and gum health.

Let’s finish on a recipe …with raw apples of course!

Chicoree, apple and roquefort salad:

Rinse and slice the chicorees (4).
Add:
a dozen walnut halves,
a few chopped parsley leaves,
80 g of diced roquefort,
2 diced apples (pour lemon juice over the diced apple so they keep their colour).
Prepare the salad sauce on the side and pour over the salad just before serving (2 spoons of vinegar, salt, 4 spoons of olive or walnut oil, pepper).

The bitterness of the chicoree, the sweetness of the apple and the strong flavour of the roquefort will make for an unusual but delicious salad. Enjoy!