[media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]This time of year, apples are falling off trees in every direction. Bags of apples are easy to come by in neighborhoods where apple trees are everywhere. This is good news for nutrition. One medium apple counts as one cup of fruit in the MyPyramid.gov Fruit Group. One medium apple also provides almost 20% of the daily, recommended amount of fiber. Keep your apples in the refrigerator for longer shelf life and for the sake of having a crisp, cold apple anytime you want it. Don’t wash your apples until you are ready to eat them; they will keep longer. With zero fat, zero cholesterol, and zero sodium, an apple makes a healthy snack. 19 grams of natural sugar make it a popular choice for kids. One medium apple will pack 14% of the daily, recommended intake for Vitamin C (based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet). Apples are a powerful source of antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids and are also a good source of potassium. In the United States, Fuji apples have the highest total phenilic and flavonoid content of any apples. Each type of apple has a different color skin. With each, comes different nutrients and a good reason to eat a wide variety of apples! Use apples in your favorite recipes. To prevent sliced apples from turning brown, in the process, dip them into a solution of 1 part lemon juice and 3 parts water. http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/facts http://www.superfoodsrx.com/superfoods/apples/