The Benefits of Apples and How to Use Them in the Kitchen

Being rich in fibre and low in calories, apples are a popular choice both eaten raw and used in cooked recipes. Eating the skin along with the flesh boosts their fibre content even further.

What is an apple's nutritional value?

Apples are rich in vitamin C and fibre; the antioxidants found in the skin make a meaningful contribution to their nutritional value. That is why washing and eating an apple unpeeled gets you more of its nutrients.

An apple's fibre content also contributes to a feeling of fullness, which is what makes it such a practical snack between meals.

Which apple variety suits which recipe?

Tart, firm varieties like granny smith hold their shape better in baked recipes like pies and cakes, staying intact rather than breaking down during cooking. Sweeter, softer varieties are better suited to eating raw or adding to salads.

Local varieties like Amasya apples work well both eaten raw and made into jam; this variety's distinctive aroma gives the jam a character all its own.

What changes when an apple is cooked?

Cooking an apple softens its texture and brings its natural sugar forward, which is why cooked apple recipes often need little to no added sugar. Apple cooked with cinnamon is a classic winter dessert.

When making apple compote, cooking it with the skin on helps preserve both its colour and its nutritional value; the skin can be strained out afterwards.

Why does apple brown so quickly?

Once cut, the surface of an apple exposed to air browns quickly; this comes from an enzyme in the apple reacting with oxygen. Lightly brushing cut apple with lemon juice slows down that browning.

Keeping an apple whole removes the risk of browning entirely compared to a cut one, which is why apple meant for a salad should be chopped right before serving.

How should apples be stored?

Kept in the crisper drawer of the fridge, apples can stay fresh for a few weeks; left at room temperature, they ripen and soften much faster. Storing them away from other fruit prevents the ethylene gas apples give off from speeding up the ripening of whatever else is nearby.

Apple juice and apple cider vinegar are also among the kitchen's indirect uses for apples; freshly pressed apple juice keeps more of its vitamin content, while fermented apple cider vinegar shows up in everything from salad dressings to pickling. How ripe but unspoiled the apples are when making the vinegar directly affects its quality.

Apple seeds are best not eaten; they contain a small amount of a natural compound that can cause discomfort in large quantities, though a few seeds swallowed by accident usually cause no issue.

Baking a whole apple in the oven is another favourite in winter; cored and filled with walnuts, cinnamon and honey, it is baked until soft into a simple but satisfying dessert.

Grating apple into cakes or pastry batter is another practical way to add moisture; grated apple brings both moisture and a light sweetness to the batter without needing extra oil.