Hello, Apple Season!

Apples, Apples, I see apples everywhere. I absolutely love apples.

So imagine my surprise when my husband last week said in a state of exasperation, Apples! Why are you buying more Apples? We already have apples!

Huh? What? Can a household really have too many apples?

Not in my opinion…I felt the need to defend myself and my kitchen.

I took a deep breath rolled my eyes up into the cosmos and asked for patience.

While I was taking my moment, he came out with, “Apples are just apples. They’re all the same.” I looked at him a bit incredulously- really?

I held up the bag in my hand and said, “Babe, these are Honeycrisp apples”.  Then I pointed over to the fruit bowl, “those are Braeburn apples”, and then I dramatically whisked over the refrigerator pulled the door open and pointed to the drawer of apples and said, “those are Gala apples”. He was looking at me a little sideways with his mouth hanging open. So I took that as an opportunity to continue on with my apples defense.

“This is apple season and the apples are the freshest at this time of year. I get excited by the different varieties that are only available during the fall. Each region of the United States grows different varieties of apples and every apple has a unique flavor, sweetness and crispness. I enjoy buying the different types of apples so I can sample the various tastes. “

He started nodding his head, “It’s kind of like wine, you sample apples like other people taste wine.” Then he said, “You should write a blog about this.” I thought he was being sarcastic but then I realized that he was serious.

My husband grew up in Mexico, he ate mangos and avocados. I grew up in New York state, I ate apples. He had a point there. Perhaps we are more influenced by our upbringings than we realize.

The fall reminds me of pumpkins and apples. As a kid growing up in New York visiting the apple orchards on a breezy day and going apple picking was one of my favorite fall activities. I would try different varieties of apples, drink apple cider, and indulge myself with a hot apple cider donut. The nice thing about local farms is that they tend to have smaller specialty crops of apples for sale that are not available on the mass market. You also get to pick your own fruit straight off the tree. It creates a bond between you and your fruit. This is especially important for children. When children get involved with the food they grow, pick, or prepare they become excited. This excitement develops into a lasting connection to real food that will keep them healthy for a lifetime.

My apple obsession aside, Apples pack a huge health benefit. There is quite a bit of truth to the old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” I’ll even suggest that two apples a day are better than one.

Apples are anti-inflammatory and deeply hydrating to cells.

They cleanse the bowel by collecting bacteria, viruses, yeast, and mold and eliminating them from the body. Apples are truly nature’s way of delivering “fast food” in its most nutritious, cleansing and digestible way.

In his book Life Changing Foods, Anthony William states that “The phytochemicals in apples make them a true brain food, feeding neurons and increasing electrical activity.”

He goes on to say that “apples also have traces of flavonoids, rutin, and quercidin—phytochemicals that are responsible for heavy metal and radiation detoxification—as well as the amino acids glutamine and serine, which help detoxify the brain of MSG. This fruit helps cleanse and purify the organs, improve circulation in your lymphatic system, repair damaged skin, and regulate blood sugar.”

Red apples have the highest concentration of anti-oxidants and polyphenols. This is because of the red pigment in the skin.

Get adventurous! Go ahead and try different apples. This is the height of apple season, there is no better time than now.  Keep an eye out for heirloom apples at local and farmer’s markets. Make sure you grab them and try them.

You can make an apple sample platter for when the kids get home from school. Let them have fun slathering their favorite nut butters on different kinds of apples.

With so much Love,

Dr. Purcell

P.S. Here’s a fun recipe to try!…

Apples with Caramel Dip – Recipe from Life Changing Foods

1 large apple sliced

6 dates pitted

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Blend dates and cinnamon in a food processor until well combined. Add a splash of water, (about 2 tablespoons). If you are working with dry firm dates soak them in water for 2 hours before blending. Spoon the mixture in a serving cup and serve alongside the apples.