An Apple a Day…..

There's a reason apples have been winning hearts for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found evidence that people were enjoying apples as far back as 6500 B.C.! Today there are more than 7,500 varieties grown around the world (about 2,500 in the United States), ranging from tiny fruits barely larger than a cherry to apples the size of a grapefruit. Surprisingly, the only apple native to North America is the humble crabapple, while the apples we know and love today trace their roots to the region between the Caspian and Black Seas. Apples are members of the rose family, which explains their beautiufl spring blossoms.

Besides being delicious, apples are pretty amazing little powerhouses. A medium apple has only about 80 calories, is naturally fat-, sodium-, and cholesterol-free, and provides about 5 grams of fiber, much of it found right in the peel—so don't be too quick to reach for the peeler! It takes the energy from about 50 leaves to grow a single apple, and an average mature tree can produce enough fruit to fill 20 boxes in one season. Whether you're baking a pie (it takes about two pounds of apples for a 9-inch pie), simmering applesauce, or pressing cider (about 36 apples make a gallon), every bite is part of a tradition that's been bringing us pleasure- and keeping the doctor away- for centuries.