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OT - Tone-up Tuesday

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Happy Tuesday, Stalkers!! We’re one day closer to Friday…

An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

It turns out that eating an apple a day really does keep the doctor away - but you have to eat the peel! Ann no fair skipping the apple in favor of megadoses of vitamins in pill form. Apples in their natural state are much better.

Reasons to eat apples:

1. Apples are filled with soluble fiber (5 grams) which reduce intestinal disorders, including diverticulitis and hemorrhoids; help control insulin levels by releasing sugar slowly into the bloodstream; and cleanse and detoxify, which helps eliminate heavy metals such as lead and mercury.

2. Apple pectin helps reduce cholesterol levels by lowering insulin secretion. They are a low-glycemic food so they help control your blood sugar. Researchers have discovered that women who eat at least one apple a day are almost one third less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

3. Two studies found that eating 5 apples a week lowered the risk for respiratory diseases like asthma.

4. Apples provide a source of potassium which may promote heart health.

5. Apples are packed with vitamins C, A, and flavonoids and with smaller amounts of phosphorus, iron, and calcium.

6. An apple has only 50-80 calories and has no fat or sodium.

7. Apples contain non-digestible compounds that promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut associated with weight loss.

8. Many components of this fruit can help prevent certain cancers: natural pigments called anthocyanins; phenolic acids including ellagic and ferulic acids; the flavonoids quercetin and rutin; and the antioxidant glutathione.

9. Apples have been shown to significantly reduce visceral belly fat in overweight individuals with zero side effects. The polyphenols in apples also play an important role in the metabolism of all types of body fat.

10. The apple has long been called “nature’s toothbrush”. While it is NOT a replacement for actual brushing, the texture of apples can help “scrub” your teeth and tongue of debris. Apples are also mildly acidic, which can help breakdown plaque.
BE SURE TO SWISH YOUR MOUTH WITH WATER AFTERWARDS to wash away the acid.
The nutrients in apples are great for your oral health as well. They’re loaded with Vitamin C, which is vital for gum health.

What’s your favorite apple? How do you like to eat it?

The tart Granny Smith apples are my fave and I eat them "straight". I occasionally enjoy baked apples and will post a vegan/gluten-free/grain-free recipe below. Biggrin

Comments

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6-7 medium to large apples (2 tart - like granny smith, 4 sweet - like honeycrisp)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil, optional
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch nutmeg
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch (for thickening the sauce)
• 3 Tbsp water
• Pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set out a 9x13-inch (or similar size) baking dish.

2. Peel and core apples, quarter, and use a paring knife to thinly slice lengthwise. Try to be consistent so they cook evenly.

3. Add to baking dish and top with lemon juice, coconut oil (optional), coconut sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cornstarch (or arrowroot), water, and a healthy pinch of salt. Toss to combine. Then loosely cover with foil.

4. Bake for 45 minutes (covered). Then carefully remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the apples are very fork tender (especially in the center of the dish) and slightly caramelized.

5. Enjoy! Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350-degree F oven (covered) until warmed through. Add a bit of water if the "caramel" sauce is too thick.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 serving (of 6)
Calories: 264
Fat: 0.6 g
Saturated fat: 0.1 g
Carbohydrates: 68.6 g
Sugar: 55.3 g
Sodium: 47 mg
Fiber: 5.7 g
Protein: 0.8 g

ProbablyAlreadyInsane's picture

I LOVE apples!!! Biggrin I'll eat literally any kind straight.... AND Apple pies, cinnamon apple muffins! Literally anything with Cinnamon and apple in it is delicious in my opinion....

zerostepdrama's picture

I love apples. They are something we always buy. They are so easy to carry and have as a quick snack as need. Look in my purse and you will find an apple in a plastic baggie, washed and ready to eat. I like the Fuji apples or similar. Unless I am having Carmel apple dip with them and then I like the regular red apples. My BS likes green apples, not a fan. And growing up my Grandma always had the yellow apples, again not a fan, but whenever I see them in the store I always get fond memories.

beebeel's picture

I make my son homemade applesauce and I mean a mean spiced spiked cider -- my preferred form of apple. }:)

I usually use pink lady or gala apples for applesauce or apple butter. They are sweet enough I don't have to add sugar, but not so sweet that I can eat them fresh.

Aniki-Moderator's picture

My Mom made homemade applesauce every week when I was a kid. I miss her. Sad

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Thanks, beebeel. Sadly, I never learned how she made it. The damn Alzheimer's took that away.

beebeel's picture

If you have a slow cooker and a food processor, it doesn't require too much work besides peeling the apples (which is easier if you have a peeler/decoring device). You can experiment with amounts of cinnamon, clover and nutmeg until you get closer. The whole house smells awesome all day.

What a terrible disease. It has only affected a few distant relatives of mine, gratefully, so I can't even imagine how painful that must have been. <3

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Mom always made it in a pan on the stove. Sigh...

Yes, it's terrible. As the youngest, I'm the one she forgot first. My siblings found that amusing. I did not. It's like she aged backwards, from adult to a baby. I was very angry for a long time, but NEVER with her.

advice.only2's picture

I love the honey crisp apples, then after that are the Granny Smith.

classyNJ's picture

Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Honey Crisp.

We go apple picking every fall and make just about everything you can make with apples. My favorite is my Oma's Sauerkraut with apples. YUMMM

Just be careful with the diverticulitis if you are having flare ups. Try only drinking apple juice for a few days then add apples without skin then the full apple. Apple juice is a great low fiber diet which is needed for flare ups. I drink 8 oz of apple juice a day since my surgeries. Helps so much!

IslandGal's picture

I used to love toffee apples..alas my teeth no longer do..they've gotten more sensitive as I've aged..damn I miss them.

Aniki-Moderator's picture

IslandGal, my teeth have yet to become more sensitive with age. Hopefully, that will not change!!

Acratopotes's picture

apples tend to give me 7 month pregnant stomach, yes I blow up like a sex doll......

I love my cinnamon, apple water.... simply because I can not drink just water... it's vile, I will die...

Then what studies have not told you about exercising and living healthy, it does not cause weight loss, it's bullshit, it causes weight gain.
I'm living proof of it, been doing 10km a day and I did not loose anything, no I gained 10 effing pounds!!!

I will go back to boozing and eating the whole day, with no exercises involved...at least this way the bathroom scale will not be hiding behind the door in tears when it hears me entering the bathroom