It was true back when apples were rich in Vitamins A, B, C and K as well as Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium.
Apples are also a wonderful source of water (85%) to help quench the thirst. They contain the unique soluble fibre called pectin which has actually been shown to reduce cholesterol and reactivate good bacteria in the gut.
Finally apples contain the phytonutrient quercetin which is a subtle antihistamine and has been shown to have cancer fighting benefits.
So should we all be rushing out and buying apples? Yes but only if they’re Organic.
A fruit can only contain all those nutrients when they are found in the soil and when the fruit is eaten fresh from the tree un-irradiated.
And yes I know Organic apples cost more, but think what you’re paying for. Not just the additional fresh juicy sweet taste that comes with knowing it’s fresh from the tree and hasn’t been stored somewhere for a year but also all those wonderful health benefits.
When you buy an apple you’re also paying for everything that went into growing and transporting and selling that apple.
Cheap apples (and please note here I’m taking apples as the example of all cheap crops) come from cheap farming practices. It’s cheaper to use pesticides than it is to manage pests naturally. It’s cheaper to let those toxins run off into our soil and water sources than it is avoid their use. It’s cheaper to grow fruit and vegetables in bulk mass production requiring soil fertilization and genetic modification than it is to allow natural soil balances and interactions.
A supermarket apple is unblemished and shiny. That is because any apples that are damaged by birds or hail for example don’t make it to market. They might get used for juice but many are just dumped which is a horrible waste of food in an overpopulated world. The shiny wax actually absorbs the toxins which were sprayed on the fruit (see my Blog on the Dirty Dozen) so you’ll be ingesting all those bright shiny poisons with your bright shiny fruit.
So a cheap apple doesn’t take into account the cost to the environment of growing that apple – that cost is passed down the line but don’t worry you’ll pay it later when we need to pay for clean water. And a cheap apple doesn’t provide all the amazing preventative health benefits that it nutrient rich counterpart could have. But don’t worry you might end up paying for that one too in increased hospital bills and chronic medication.
So the next time you’re faced with the choice whether to pay ‘extra’ for organic fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat ask yourself what are you really paying for?
- Increased nutrient levels
- Improved taste and freshness
- Additional health benefits
- Sustainable farming practices
- A cleaner environment
- Avoiding harmful toxins