Apple Nutrition Facts Calories
The quote “An apple a day keeps the doctor away" may not be just something that our grandparents loved to say. These members of the rose family are actually nutrition packages that can be carried around and are also tasty. Though it may take more than an apple to keep one healthy, eating one apple everyday is the first step towards a healthy body. Apples are easy to carry, nutritious, a natural mouth freshener, low in calories and quite inexpensive compared to other fruits. There is about 25 per cent air in an apple. So when they are put in a tub of water during Halloween parties, they float and children dunk for them.
It is best to eat an apple with the skin intact. However, it should be washed properly. A medium-sized raw apple, when eaten with the skin, has about 80 calories, five grams of fiber, and is a natural source of potassium. Apples also contain calcium, phosphorus, iron, and Vitamin C and A. An apple is composed of 80-85 per cent water, five per cent protein and 10-15 per cent carbohydrates.
Apples are good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber like pectin helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of the blood vessel walls. This reduces the chances of atherosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber provides a bulk in the intestinal tract, which helps to hold water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.
Almost a major part of the vitamin C content in an apple is just beneath the skin. The skin has more insoluble fiber content. Majority of the fragrance cells in an apple are concentrated in the skin. As the apple ripens, the skin cells develop more flavor and aroma. There are many varieties of apples in the market. They can be sweet, soft, tart, smooth, crunchy and crisp depending on the type of the apple. So, apples can suit the taste buds of everyone.
The potassium in the apple is essential for optimal heart function. Apples have also been found to reduce the risk of Type II diabetes and stroke. It helps to improve bowel functions. Flavonoids, present inside apples, help to prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. The skin of an apple contains phytochemicals which can reduce the multiplying of colon cancer cells. Pectin and other acids present in an apple help to improve digestion.
According to a recent study, eating about five apples a week have helped to lower the risk for certain respiratory diseases like asthma. Apples help in protecting arteries from plaque build up. Studies have also shown that eating two apples a day or drinking 12 ounces of apple juice can reduce the effects of cholesterol. Apples are known to help in losing weight. The calories and nutrients in an apple depend on the size and variety.
A medium-sized fresh apple with skin has about 81 calories. The amounts of the different nutrients present in it are: carbohydrate 21 grams, dietary fiber 4 grams, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, calcium 10 mg, phosphorus 10 mg, iron 0.25 mg, potassium 159 mg, vitamin C 8 mg, vitamin A 73 IU and folate 4 mcg.