“Fall is my favorite season,” my husband commented as we drove home one sunny afternoon.

I agreed. I especially enjoy the colors of autumn. As I looked out the car window, I noted a few orange, yellow and red leaves had appeared on the trees and bushes around homes. Soon the outdoors will burst with color.

Pumpkins will appear on doorsteps. Fall festivals and farmers markets will provide fun opportunities for children and adults. Apples appear on more menus as people enjoy cider, baked apples, apple pies, sauces and crisps. I can almost smell the cinnamon.

I am sure most people can add the ending to this phrase: “An apple a day…”

Does eating an apple a day really keep the doctor away? In some ways, the answer may be yes.

The health aspects of apples have been explored by nutrition and health researchers, and the research results are promising. We cannot promise magic cures from consuming more fruits (and vegetables) because good health is dependent on many things.

Eating 4 to 5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily is good for our health on several levels. Be sure to include apples as part of your choices.

Eating more apples, especially as whole fruit, has been shown to help with blood sugar management among people with diabetes. Eating apples may decrease our risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer, and it may help improve lung function. 

A medium apple (3 inches in diameter) has about 100 calories and provides fiber, vitamins and minerals. Apples contain soluble fiber that may lower blood cholesterol levels.

In honor of the crunchy apple available in several colors and sizes, let’s try a few trivia questions based mainly on information from the New York Apple Association.

1. What is the name of the study of apples?

1. Enology
2. Pomology
3. Ornithology
4. Lepidopterology

2. Part 1. How many varieties of apples have been identified across the world? Part 2. How many varieties are grown in the U.S.?

1. 7,500; 2,500
2. 10,000; 5,000
3. 2,000; 500
4. 4,500; 250

3. How much does a bushel of apples weigh, on average?

1. 25 pounds
2. 42 pounds
3. 56 pounds
4. 73 pounds

4. About how many large apples would be needed to make a gallon of apple cider?

1. 16 - 20
2. 26 - 30
3. 36 - 40
4. 46 - 50

5. Which president liked to prune apple trees as a hobby?

1. Thomas Jefferson
2. George Bush Sr.
3. George Washington
4. Teddy Roosevelt

The answers are: 1. B; 2. A.; 3. B; 4. C; 5. C.  By the way, enology is the study of winemaking, ornithology is the study of birds, and lepidopterology is the study of butterflies.

Apples can be eaten fresh, used in a variety of recipes, and preserved by drying, freezing, canning or making jelly.  You can find recipes for these methods on the NDSU Extension website at www.ag.ndsu.edu/food by clicking on “Food Preservation.” 

For more information about apples, visit the Field to Fork website at www.ag.ndsu.edu/fieldtofork and scroll to “Field to Fork Resources” then “Apples” for recipes and more.

Here’s an easy recipe that will fill your home with a delicious aroma. Be sure to cook on the “low” heat setting.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

4 large apples 
Juice from 1 lemon (about 4 Tbsp.)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup water

Rinse, peel and core apples; cut into quarters. Add apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and water to a slow cooker; stir. Cover and cook on low four to six hours, until apples are very tender. Mash the apple mixture with the back of a fork or potato masher.

Makes four servings. Each serving has 130 calories, 0 gram (g) fat, 1 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber and 0 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Sept. 19, 2024

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Elizabeth Cronin, 701-231-7006, elizabeth.cronin@ndsu.edu