Getting to the core of the matter

By Wendell Fowler

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Even Eve had a devil of a time tempting Adam, Cain and Abel to eat their fruits and vegetables. “Yes, dear.” Precedent established. Since ancient times, apples have been a celebrated fruit. In early Greek and Roman mythology the apple is a symbol of love and beauty. Cleopatra was rumored to have included an apple in Caesar’s chariot lunch box every day before he went into battle. [ad#single-post]About 1629, both the seeds and the trees were brought to America. John Endicott, the early governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony is said to have brought the first trees to America. Johnny Appleseed, more interested in the alcohol made from apples, encouraged apple growing as he carried apple seeds with him wherever he went in thinly settled parts of the country. The Forbidden Fruit offers cancer protection and healthy lungs and protects us from heart disease and strokes. Apples assist weight loss and dental health, and they reduce serum cholesterol in your arteries. Orchards of studies show a diet containing lots of apples does indeed reduce blood cholesterol levels. The National Cancer Institute has reported that foods containing antioxidants found in apples may reduce lung cancer by as much as 50 percent. Eating two or three apples a day engages complex and beneficial physiological processes in the task of reducing blood cholesterol. It’s all about pectin. Apples contain 0.78 grams of pectin per 100 grams of edible fruit, which ranks them fourth in pectin content among other fruits and vegetables tested. Pectin, a soluble fiber, reduces the amount of cholesterol produced in the liver and slows digestion and the rise of blood sugar, making it ideal for diabetics. Applesauce, by the way, makes a delightful, low-fat baking substitute. A Cornell University study indicated quertecin in the skin or flesh of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 percent. A 200l Mayo Clinic study indicated that quercetin helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. The nineteen pounds of apples each American consumes annually are 85 percent kidney-flushing water. The white meat of the apple may be most delicious, but the skin definitely has the most nutrition. For your earth suit to absorb the most delicious nutrition, choose a variety that browns easily, such as a Granny Smith. I gently encourage you to avoid grocery-store, processed apple juice and do not substitute pasteurized apple juice for fresh apples. Organic is better. Grocery-store apple juice contains next to none of the beneficial compounds of potassium, C, quertecin and fiber. Opt for fresh, seasonal, un-pasteurized apples from the local orchard. However, make sure the orchard washes, sanitizes and filters the juice to prevent food-borne illness, such as E. coli or salmonella from animal residue. Some orchards seek the fallen apples because they are sugary ripe and easy to harvest, but killer pathogens are lurking. “One bad apple don’t spoil the whole bunch, girl.” I politely beg to differ. For a pleasurable culinary experience, the next time you whip up breakfast oatmeal, use freshly squeezed apple cider instead of water or milk; then add almonds, cinnamon and cranberries. Oh, baby!

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