Apple - How much you know about it ?

We do have people who has allergy to apples, but this is another case! In general we all know this very famous proverb "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" which directly makes you understand that apple consumption has great health benefits!

Yes dear Steemians, it is delicious , it is one of the most consumed fruits in the world and has many health benefits, but how much more do we know about this fruit? Wanna learn a little more on apples??? Ready to be fascinated???

So follow me for this amazing journey where I will present this fruit in much more details and have a closer look at the world's most famous ones!

Our famous apple comes from a deciduous tree of the rose family which we call the apple tree! The apple tree has got the scientific name of Malus Pumila and is cultivated worldwide as a fruit tree!

Originated in Central Asia where we still found it's wild ancestor, the Malus Sieversii, apples have been grown in Asia and Europe for thousands of years and eventually brought to North America by European colonists!

Apples have religious and mythological significance in many cultures, including Norse, Greek and European Christian traditions. Who does not know Adam and Eve apple???

If you grow it from seed, the apple trees are large! So generally apple cultivars are propagated by grafting onto rootstocks, which control the size of the resulting tree. Presently there are more than 7500 known cultivars of apples in the world!!!

Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and uses, including cooking, eating raw and cider production.

More than 80 million tonnes of apples are produced worldwide with China producing nearly 50% of the total!
Soft and crisp cultivars are commercially popular and the other desired qualities are generally that they must have a colorful skin, absence of russeting, ease of shipping, lengthy storage ability, high yields, disease resistance, common apple shape, and developed flavor.

With the ever changing taste of the human kind, modern apples are generally sweeter than older cultivars. Most North Americans and Europeans favor sweet, subacid apples, but tart apples have a strong minority following.
Whereas in Asia and especially Indian Subcontinent extremely sweet apples with barely any acid flavor are more popular.

For the health side of it , apples may help reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They are high in fiber and vitamin C, and they are also low in calories, have only a trace of sodium but no fat or cholesterol.

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away"

One very important thing to note is that apple seeds contain small amounts of amygdalin, a sugar and cyanide compound known as a cyanogenic glycoside. Ingesting small amounts of apple seeds will cause no ill effects, but consumption of extremely large doses can cause adverse reactions.

So how was it till now? Interesting for sure! Now let's have a look at some of the world most famous apple varieties!

Red Delicious

The most ironically named of all apple varieties in the US, the red delicious was originally known as the Hawkeye, this is the most popular one on the market!It has a long shelf life and cosmetic stability with a thick skin, sweet flavor and often has a crumbly texture.
It is grown just about everywhere and are best enjoyed out of the silo! They are generally not used in baking!

McIntosh

With a soft skin and softer flesh, the McIntosh strikes a level balance between sweet and acidic.
Cultivated throughout the northeastern and upper Great Lakes states and eastern Canada. They are best eaten raw, in fruit salad and typically collapse when baked!

Golden (or Yellow) Delicious
There is actually no relations with the red delicious! It is considered an all-purpose apple, and is the one most commonly found at the grocery store.
With a mild and sweet flavor, the flesh is juicy, but taste-wise there is not a big difference from the Red Delicious.
It is cultivated practically anywhere and you can enjoy it whole, chopped into salad, or baked into desserts.

Gala
In the last 15 years this New Zealand breed has gained popularity with pinkish-orange striping over a gold base, its skin is thin, concealing a crisp and juicy flesh that’s fragrant and fairly sweet.
They are best enjoyed raw, juiced, or in salads.

Granny Smith
Neon green in color this is probably the most readily-recognized of all apple varieties.
If you’re into tartness, this bitter old bird is your go-to. Its crisp, juicy flesh, however, does sweeten with storage.
Originally cultivated in Australia, it is available year-round.
It is great eaten raw, in pies, or in salads where its tartness can be offset. Granny Smiths work especially well with nut butters.

Fuji

Created in Japan (the name is obvious though), the Fuji is still the most popular variety there! It is a cross between two American varieties (Red Delicious and Ralls Genet).
Dense, crisp and generally regarded as the sweetest of all!
Introduced in the US in the 1980s, but there are now more Fuji apples produced in the US than in Japan.
You will love it raw, chopped into salads, or baked into pie!

Braeburn
This variety was discoveredin New Zealand. Its probable parents are the Lady Hamilton and Granny Smith.
With a very thin skin, Braeburns boast textbook apple flavor and balance sweet and tart along with faint notes of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Best enjoyed raw, but it’s also known to be great for baking!

Pink Lady
This brand name variety applies to apples grown under specific license, dictating a rigid sugar-to-acid ratio, among other traits. Those that don’t qualify are sold as Cripps.
With a flavor between the Golden Delicious and Lady Williams, the Pink Lady is firm and crunchy with a tart flavor that finishes on a sweet note.
Raw, in salads, baked in pies, and sliced onto cheeseboards, they are just amazing!

Honeycrisp
Adapted to cold-weather, the honeycrisp is the official state fruit of Minnesota.
Lightly flavored that’s more sweet than tart. It’s also juicy and moderately crunchy.
They’re actually better a week or so after removal from cold storage, making the time when you buy them the time that’s best to enjoy them.
These ones are up to any task you put them up against, they are good for everything you wish!

Empire
Empire apples are a cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh varieties with a thin skin.
It retains the sweetness of the Red Delicious and the tartness of the McIntosh, this is a crisp and juicy everyman’s apple.
It is best enjoyed cooked but can also be eaten raw or in salads!

So here we are dear Steemians, that's a little glimpse of the world of apples! When you think about the 7500 varieties out there!!! It's a big world indeed!

HAVE YOU TRIED ALL THE VARIETIES LISTED ABOVE???

Please do comment below! Should you like the post, kindly upvote and resteem!

Thank you!

@progressivechef

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