An Organic Apple A Day...
April 25, 2022
Have you ever heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Well, not if they are conventionally grown… nearly half of the synthetic chemicals found in conventionally grown apples are either neurotoxic or carcinogenic. I think it is about time to change that old saying to “an organic apple a day…”.
Dirty Dozen
Conventionally grown apples appear as number five on the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Dirty Dozen list. This is a list that ranks twelve of the most heavily contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables according to the amount of synthetic chemicals found in them. For a complete list of the EWG’s Dirty Dozen, check out my previous post, The Low-Down on Organic
Apples are sprayed with chemicals to keep pests away and since one of the most nutritious parts of the apple is the skin, eating organic apples helps keep those chemicals out of our bodies. If you do eat conventional, I recommend washing and peeling the apple first but know that you are missing out on the beneficial fibre when discarding the skin.
Nutritional Highlights
Apples are full of nutrients. They contain fibre, vitamin C, vitamin A and some B vitamins. There are also many minerals in apples; potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. Even if they haven’t actually been proven to keep the doctor away, apples are a fantastic nutrient dense food to add to your daily diet.
The Apple Orchard
Every year, in September, we visit the apple orchard to stock up on apples. Apples go very quickly in our house. One of the things the kids love best about going to the orchard is sampling the different kinds of apples. Did you know, there are over 7000 varieties of apples?! A few years ago we stumbled on one of our new favourites, the Silken apple (sadly, we can only seem to find it at the orchard so we don’t get to enjoy them year round). Do a bit of research and see if there are any organic apple orchards in your area. You may have to dig a bit deeper and make some phone calls. Some orchards might grow using organic methods but are not certified organic because of the hefty price tag that comes with certification.
Recipe
Apples are so easy to grab when on the go, can quickly be cut into slices for little ones and taste amazing with nut butters. I will often dice apples to add to my oatmeal or to put in a salad. If I have a lot of apples or some with lots of bruises, I make applesauce with just cooked apples and cinnamon (I don’t add sugar because we find the apples sweet enough).
The kids and I love to make apple “donuts” together as a healthy snack. It is a great way to get the kids to help out and to give them control over adding healthy snack options to their diets.
Apple Donuts
*Apples, sliced into ½” thick rounds
Have you ever heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Well, not if they are conventionally grown… nearly half of the synthetic chemicals found in conventionally grown apples are either neurotoxic or carcinogenic. I think it is about time to change that old saying to “an organic apple a day…”.
Dirty Dozen
Conventionally grown apples appear as number five on the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Dirty Dozen list. This is a list that ranks twelve of the most heavily contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables according to the amount of synthetic chemicals found in them. For a complete list of the EWG’s Dirty Dozen, check out my previous post, The Low-Down on Organic
Apples are sprayed with chemicals to keep pests away and since one of the most nutritious parts of the apple is the skin, eating organic apples helps keep those chemicals out of our bodies. If you do eat conventional, I recommend washing and peeling the apple first but know that you are missing out on the beneficial fibre when discarding the skin.
Nutritional Highlights
Apples are full of nutrients. They contain fibre, vitamin C, vitamin A and some B vitamins. There are also many minerals in apples; potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. Even if they haven’t actually been proven to keep the doctor away, apples are a fantastic nutrient dense food to add to your daily diet.
The Apple Orchard
Every year, in September, we visit the apple orchard to stock up on apples. Apples go very quickly in our house. One of the things the kids love best about going to the orchard is sampling the different kinds of apples. Did you know, there are over 7000 varieties of apples?! A few years ago we stumbled on one of our new favourites, the Silken apple (sadly, we can only seem to find it at the orchard so we don’t get to enjoy them year round). Do a bit of research and see if there are any organic apple orchards in your area. You may have to dig a bit deeper and make some phone calls. Some orchards might grow using organic methods but are not certified organic because of the hefty price tag that comes with certification.
Recipe
Apples are so easy to grab when on the go, can quickly be cut into slices for little ones and taste amazing with nut butters. I will often dice apples to add to my oatmeal or to put in a salad. If I have a lot of apples or some with lots of bruises, I make applesauce with just cooked apples and cinnamon (I don’t add sugar because we find the apples sweet enough).
The kids and I love to make apple “donuts” together as a healthy snack. It is a great way to get the kids to help out and to give them control over adding healthy snack options to their diets.
Apple Donuts
*Apples, sliced into ½” thick rounds
*Nut butter, yoghurt or fruit preserve
*Topping of your choice
_- We use: raw sunflower seeds, pepitas, unsweetened shredded coconut, Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, blueberries, raisins, chia seeds, or anything else we can find that will add yumminess to our donuts.
1. Cut a circle in the middle of the apple slices, removing the seeds.
2. Spread “icing” of choice (nut butter, yoghurt, fruit preserve) on one side of each apple round.
3. Top with your favourite toppings.
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this delicious snack and if you’ve tried any other topping or spreads. I’m always willing to try new flavours!
If you are looking to add more healthy snacks and meals to your diet, send me a message, I would love to connect and set up a consultation to help you reach your health goals! services@amandahilton.ca
_- We use: raw sunflower seeds, pepitas, unsweetened shredded coconut, Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, blueberries, raisins, chia seeds, or anything else we can find that will add yumminess to our donuts.
1. Cut a circle in the middle of the apple slices, removing the seeds.
2. Spread “icing” of choice (nut butter, yoghurt, fruit preserve) on one side of each apple round.
3. Top with your favourite toppings.
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this delicious snack and if you’ve tried any other topping or spreads. I’m always willing to try new flavours!
If you are looking to add more healthy snacks and meals to your diet, send me a message, I would love to connect and set up a consultation to help you reach your health goals! services@amandahilton.ca
