You have heard the old saying – peel an onion, there’s lots of layers! When it comes to apples – DO NOT peel the skin off because that is where all the healing power lies – in the skin! The skin of apples contain large amounts of quercetin which like Vitamin C and beta-carotene, help prevent harmful oxygen molecules from damaging individual cells. This is what helps prevent changes in the cells – when you expose cells to a carcinogen (toxins, chemicals or pollutants) and then put it in quercetin, you prevent mutation from occurring. (Ref. The Doctor’s Book of Food Remedies, page 22)

Apples contain both soluble and insoluble fiber including apple pectin. The average size apple with the skin on contains approximately 3 grams of fiber. The insoluble fiber is found in the skin which is great for relieving constipation, improving digestion and keeping you FULL! The soluble fiber in apples is pectin which is the same kind of fiber found in oat bran and forms a gel-like material in the digestive tract. This helps lower cholesterol by reducing the amount of cholesterol produced in the liver plus by forming a gel-like material, it slows digestion which slows down the rise in blood sugar which is why apples are a wonderful daily snack for people dealing with diabetes. My favorite way to eat an apple is to cut it up and dip it into organic peanut butter or almond butter. The average size apple offers more pectin than what is found in strawberries or bananas.

Apples are low on the Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index is an index of foods that determine how fast or slow your blood sugar goes up after eating a certain food. Foods with a higher glycemic index have a greater effect on blood sugar whereas foods with a lower glycemic index number have a lesser effect. Many people find glycemic index foods lists helpful when planning meals, however, everybody responds to different foods differently. In other words, your blood sugar may not rise to the same extent as another person when eating the same food. The other downside to the Glycemic Index food list depends on the food itself – whether it is highly processed, what you eat with it or how it is prepared! Mashing, chopping or pureeing a food may make it easier to digest but it does raise the glycemic index value. For example, a green banana has a Glycemic Index number of 51 and an overripe banana has a higher index number of 84. By eating a balanced diet with a variety of foods will help you find a healthy balance each and every day.

Apples in the Kitchen

Lucky for all of us, apples are available all year long. Choose organic apples whenever possible to avoid the pesticides that linger on the outside of the skin. Look for ones that are firm and unblemished and try different ones – my favorite is a cool, crisp “Pink Lady” apple or Gala because they are a bit more tart and keep their crisp texture. You should refrigerate apples after you purchase them.


Here are some tips for getting more apples into your life –