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Seasonal Foods

Apples are Fall Superfoods

By Abby Quillen

Apples may be the least exotic food imaginable. Humans have been growing domesticated apples for 4,000 years, and they grow in every state in the U.S.

But don’t let the humble apple fool you. This sweet, crisp delicacy is rich in fiber, antioxidants, potassium, folate, niacin and vitamins A, B, C, E and K. Keep reading to discover how to take advantage of fall’s bounty of apples. And learn how to say yes to apples, but no to the side of pesticides that often comes with them.

As American as Apple Pie?

Apples are members of the rose family. Contrary to popular lore, they did not originate in the Americas. Native Americans had wild apple trees (more commonly called crab apple trees) but no domesticated fruit trees.

Apples were domesticated in the mountains of Kazakhstan from the wild species Malus sieversii. Like people, no two apple trees are alike when they’re grown from seed. Domesticated varieties are genetic clones of each other grown by grafting one type of tree onto another.

European settlers planted apple and pear trees as a requirement for their free land grants. By the mid-1800s, 14,000 unique types of domesticated apples were available in the U.S. They came in all colors, shapes, and sizes, and had names like New York Pippin, Father Abraham, Maiden’s Blush, Kentucky Red Streak, and Illinois Red.

Where Have All the Apples Gone?

With the industrialization of agriculture in the 20th century, only crop varieties that could adapt well to transportation and long-term storage survived in the commercial market. We lost thousands of unique varieties of apples. Today, only 90 varieties are grown for market, and the apple industry sells just a handful of apple varieties, most big, glossy, sweet fruit that work well for shipping.

The most popular varieties are:

  • Red Delicious
  • Gala
  • Golden Delicious
  • Granny Smith
  • Fuji

Unappetizing Truths About Commercial Apples

We’ve outsourced most of our food production to big companies, and it’s important to understand who grows our food and how it’s processed. The industrial food system has a huge impact on our health, the health of the environment, and on human rights. (More than 3.5 million people worldwide, including 530,000 people in developed countries, currently work under forced labor conditions in the agricultural sector. To understand how slavery exists in the modern-day United States, read about the slaves in Florida’s tomato industry.)

Here are some important things to understand about conventional apples:

  • Commercial varieties of apples are difficult to grow organically. They’re prone to apple scab and apple borer infestations. Most growers spray their orchards with pesticides.
  • They’re often picked before they’re ripe.
  • They’re treated with a chemical called 1-methylcyclopropene and dipped in wax to prepare them for transit and cold storage.
  • They may travel as many as 3,000 miles.
  • They may sit in refrigerated cold storage for up to a year before they make it to the grocery store.

This scenario may not be what you imagined the last time you bit into an apple. Here are a few ways to eat fresher apples and invest in a fairer, healthier, and more sustainable food system:

  • Grow your own food.
  • Pick fruit from local trees. (Find unpicked trees near you at fallingfruit.org.)
  • Buy local and seasonal produce.
  • Buy organic whenever possible. Pesticides are dangerous for farm workers and consumers.
  • Support farms that are transitioning to organic.
  • Learn low-tech ways to store produce in a spare room, cellar, or garage.
  • Tell politicians (local, state, and national) you care about fair and sustainable food.

But here’s the bottom line: Any apples are better than no apples. Apples are one of the most significant sources of flavenoids and phenolic compounds (phytochemicals that protect the body from disease) in the modern diet. In multiple studies, apple consumption has been linked to a lower risk of lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes.

Say Yes to Apples and No to Pesticides

The USDA Pesticide Data Project has found residue of 47 different pesticides on apples. Apples are on the Environmental Working Group’s “dirty dozen” list because tests indicate they have the most pesticide residue of industrial crops.

You can avoid synthetic pesticides by buying organic apples whenever possible. Also, look for local apples at farmers’ markets and farm stands. Local farmers can grow apple varieties that grow well in the environment and are more resistant to pests.

If local or organic is not an option, consider taking measures to reduce the pesticide residue on your apples. According to several studies compiled by the National Institute of Health, soaking conventional produce in salt water for five minutes removes 50 percent or more of the pesticide residue.

How to Harvest and Store Apples

Most apples ripen between late August and November. Here’s how to know when apples are ripe:

  1. Test an apple by cutting into it.
  2. Check that the apple has brown seeds. Immature apples have white seeds.
  3. Check that the flesh is white or cream colored, not green.
  4. Taste the apple to check if the flavor is in its prime.

Picking apples at an orchard is a fun way to spend a fall day. Biting into a fresh apple in the fall sunshine is a delight not to be missed. Go to pickyourown.org to find an orchard near you.  At orchards, you can usually buy apples for much cheaper than in a grocery store. You may be able to find local and heirloom varieties; ask which varieties work best for your purposes. Also, consider buying apples in bulk to store through the fall and winter. It’s easier than you may think.

How to store apples:

  1. Store only the best apples that have no blemishes, cuts, or bruises.
  2. Don’t wash them. Unwashed produce keeps longer.
  3. Keep the same varieties together. Late-season, thick-skinned, and tart apples keep longest. Thin-skinned and sweet apples should be eaten first.
  4. Wrap each apple in a square of newspaper to keep it from touching other apples.
  5. Layer the apples in baskets or boxes, and label the boxes with the variety and date.
  6. Store apples in a cool, dark, frost-free place, which ideally stays between 35-40 degrees F. Best options: a spare refrigerator or root cellar. Next best options: a shed, basement or garage that stays above freezing.
  7. Store apples by themselves. Apples produce ethylene, which hastens the ripening of other crops.
  8. Check your supplies often to make sure they aren’t going bad; some varieties can keep for up to 6 months.

Enjoy the Harvest

Nothing says fall like apple pie, crisp, strudel, fritter, or cider. Apples are grown all over the world, and they’re key ingredients in many regional delicacies, such as:

  • Latvian Apple Pancakes
  • Argentine Apple Empanadas
  • Chinese Apple Herbal Soup
  • French Apple Cake
  • German Apple Sauce

But you don’t need to spend all day in the kitchen to enjoy your apple harvest. An apple is perfect by itself. Consider these simple ways to savor your apples:

  • Dippers

Cut apples into slices and dip them in peanut butter, caramel, honey, cream cheese, or yogurt.

  • Chips

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut two apples into thin slices leaving the skin on, sprinkle with cinnamon, and bake at 225 degrees for an hour. Turn over and bake for an additional hour. Cool and enjoy.

  • Sandwich

Layer apple slices on peanut butter toast. Add apple slices to a grilled cheese sandwich. Use two thick apple slices as bread and fill with granola, raisins, honey, and peanut butter.

  • Sauce

Make a simple applesauce by combining four cups of chopped apples, a cup of water, and a half teaspoon cinnamon to a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about a half hour, stirring occasionally. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup to taste.

  • Salad

Add crunch and sweetness to a chopped green salad, slaw, or grain salad.

Looking for a simple, yet decadent, treat? Pair apples with cheese.

An Apple a Day

Fall is a perfect time to appreciate the humble perfection of sweet, crisp apples. Bursting with flavor and nutrition, apples are one of the healthiest foods you can eat.

Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article originally published October 19, 2017.

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September 13, 2023Filed Under: Gardening, Health Tagged With: Antioxidants, Apple Tree, Apples, Autumn, Fall, Fall Foods, Real Food, Seasonal Foods, Seasonal living, Whole Foods

Herbs to Help You Stay Healthy This Spring

By Abby Quillen

If you imagine stepping from a freezing December day into a sweltering July day, you can only marvel at the body’s ability to adjust to new seasons. Beneath the surface, your body works hard to transition to new seasonal conditions. More than 5,000 genes change their expression from one season to the next, according to research done at Cambridge University.

The seasonal shift from winter to spring may be especially challenging. You can support your body by gently shifting your diet, rituals, and self-care for the new season. Herbs can also be powerful allies. Keep reading to learn some simple practices to help your body transition to spring and discover four herbs that may help you stay healthy this spring.

The Season of Renewal

During the spring, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners recommend simplifying food preparation. You may not be as hungry as the weather gets warmer. Take heed of nature’s cue and eat less. Steam your vegetables, and move toward eating soups with clearer broths and vegetables.

One season may change to the next in a single day on the calendar, but that’s not how your body experiences the transition. Rise slowly from your winter rest and take measures to stay warm in early  spring. Avoid doing extreme spring fasts or cleanses. Instead, replace winter food with spring foods one by one, and gradually increase your physical activity as the days lengthen.

Nature offers an amazing way to know which foods and herbs are helpful when: Eat what’s growing near you when it’s growing near you.

Spring Herbs

Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes keeping the liver and gallbladder healthy during the spring months to ward off seasonal allergies and digestive problems. Not coincidentally, these common spring herbs are excellent for the health of your liver and gallbladder.

Two of these herbs are wild and two are domesticated. If you’re not used to eating wild foods, it may feel strange to gather food outside. But people have eaten wild plants for thousands of years, and the human diet was once 100 percent wild. Wild foods are usually far more nutritious than cultivated ones. Just make sure you know how to identify them before picking them yourself. Find out how in this article. You can probably also find these at a health food store, farmers market, or herb supplier.

Stinging Nettle

Nettles grow all over the United States in the springtime next to rivers and streams. They’re high in protein, calcium, iron, and antioxidants. In a double-blind study, freeze-dried nettles were found to relieve seasonal allergy symptoms better than a placebo. I drink a nourishing nettle tonic a few days a week; find out how to make it here.

Dandelion

Don’t poison those sunny, yellow-headed blossoms coming up in your yard! Dandelion greens are some of the most nutritious spring foods you can eat. They’re available in the produce aisle of my local gourmet grocery store for $3.99 for a small bundle. Hopefully that makes you feel better about picking and eating them. For a complete primer on the health benefits of eating dandelion, how to pick them safely, and how to transform them into delicious dishes, check out this article.

Cilantro

You’ve likely eaten this herb in salsa or in Thai food. Some people love it; others hate it. If you love it, spring is a great time to enjoy it. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and it helps your body excrete toxins, according to a number of studies.

Parsley

Like cilantro, parsley is high in a number of nutrients, especially vitamins A, C, and K, iron, and antioxidants. It’s a perfect aid for sluggish digestion. Chop it to add flavor and color to dishes or infuse it to make a refreshing spring tea.

Lighten Up

Spring is the time to lighten up your meals and increase activity after a long, slumbering winter. Remember, your body’s working hard to adjust to the new season. You may experience annoying symptoms. Headaches, hay fever symptoms, sinus congestion, red eyes, and other ailments are common as the seasons shift. Instead of cursing your body, support it by stepping up your self-care, getting plenty of rest, and eating with the seasons.

Editor’s note: This is a revamped version of an article originally posted on April 17, 2018.

If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy these related posts:

  • Local Seasonal Foods are Super Foods
  • Why You Should Sync Your Schedule with the Seasons
  • Dandelions are Superfoods
  • Simple Herbal Tonics: Brews for Beginners
  • Simplify Your Medicine Cabinet

March 7, 2023Filed Under: Gardening, Health, Herbs Tagged With: Cilantro, Dandelion, Healing, Health, Herbs, Nettle, Nourishing Traditions, Parsley, Seasonal Allergies, Seasonal Foods, Seasonal Health, Seasonal Herbs, Spring, Spring Detox Herbs, Traditional Chinese Medicine

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