The English have a saying that says, “One apple a day, keeps a doctor away”, which in Spanish is something like “An apple a day keeps you away from the doctor.” Elisa Escorihuela Navarro, Kanzi’s nutritional advisor, with a degree in Pharmacy, a diploma in Nutrition and director of Nutt Consejo Nutricional, points out that “including apples in the diet is always positive, but not because of consuming a specific food, in this case an apple, it will improve our health. We must be aware that a healthy diet must cover all food groups, as well as excluding processed foods and refined sugars present in many foods that we consume today in a hurry”.
The consumption of apples always generates many doubts. Which one should we take: the red, the green or the yellow? To this question, Elisa Escorihuela clarifies: “Green and yellow apples have a more acidic flavor and a firmer texture, perfect for cooking; on the other hand, the red ones are softer and sweeter and are ideal for lunch, snacks or dessert”. Regarding the second question that always comes to mind when we are faced with an apple, with the peel or without the peel? The nutritionist answers: “It is always preferable to wash it well and eat it with the skin. a large part of the vitamins, minerals and fiber are found, so if we peel it we may be losing part of its properties”.
Advantages of eating apples for the body
Next, and with the help of this expert, we are going to break down the advantages and disadvantages of eating apples:
- The apple is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that will help us fight free radicals, delaying cell aging.
- It is also one of the fruits that provides greater satiety if eaten with the skin, since it provides a good amount of fiber that also helps keep our arteries in good condition.
- It is a delicious fruit that is easy to transport everywhere and adapts very well to all kinds of recipes, both savory and sweet.
- Consuming 2/3 pieces of fruit a day helps to improve our performance, since by including them in our diet we reduce the consumption of other processed foods and therefore we will have more energy and feel better. In addition to food, we would also have to join a healthy lifestyle in which we would include physical exercise and stay away from toxic habits such as alcohol and tobacco.
- It is an ideal fruit to be able to be transported and consumed anywhere without the need for more gadgets and at any time of the day: next to breakfast, as a snack or for dessert.
Against it we will say that its consumption in excess can cause constipation. Because? The apple is some fruit rich in substances called tannins, which have astringent properties, which is why excessive consumption can cause constipation. If we consume them with the skin, by providing us with more fiber, the effect will not be so much. And if we want to take it as an astringent due to gastroenteritis, we can take it peeled.
Apple bread, a Healthy recipe for any time of the day
Elisa Escorihuela Navarro, Kanzi’s nutritional advisor, recommends an ideal recipe to kill hunger at mid-morning and easy to prepare. Take note!
You need: apple, slices of crusty bread (if you choose whole wheat, it will have more fiber), cottage cheese, ground pink pepper, honey and watercress to garnish.
Method of preparation: Spread the cottage cheese on the bread. Next, cut the apple into slices with the peel included and place them on top of the cottage cheese. Before serving, garnish the finished slices with ground pepper, watercress and honey (you can omit the latter if you are on a weight loss diet).