VARIETIES OF APPLES

Doctors hate the saying, "an apple a day will keep the doctor away." While it will definitely take more than one daily apple to keep the doctor away, it is a step in the right direction. Apples are delicious, easy to carry for snacking, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, and they are still very inexpensive. For history and general description of apples click on APPLES in the heading above.

Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Pectin the Soluble fiber actually helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus helping you avoid arteriosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber in apples provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.

It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin. Almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content. Most of an apple's fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen, the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor.

There are hundreds of varieties of apples on the market today, although most people have only tasted one or two of the most popular such as Royal or Red or Golden Delicious. Apples can be sweet, tart, soft and smooth or crisp and crunchy, depending on the one you choose. There is an apple to suit almost everyone's taste, so why not choose one. Do have an apple now!

Apple Nutrition Facts
(*One medium 2-1/2 inch apple, fresh, raw, with skin) Calories 81
Carbohydrate 21 grams
Dietary Fiber 4 grams
Soluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber
Calcium 10 mg
Phosphorus 10 mg Iron .25 mg
Sodium 0.00 mg
Potassium 159 mg
Vitamin C 8 mg
Vitamin A 73 IU
Folate 4 mcg


*The nutritional value of apples will vary slightly depending on the variety and size.

Source: USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory -- Apple

Department of Horticulture, Government of Himachal Pradesh, is promoting the following varieties of apples in the state:-

Oregon Spur,

Silver Spur,

Well Spur,

Stark Rimson,

Red Chief,

Royal Gala,

Summer Red,

Bright-n-Early,

Criterion,

Mutsu,

Real McCoy Delicious,

Park Dale Beauty,

Scarlet Spur,

Braebum,

Gold Spur,

Compact Winter Banana,

Red Gravenstein,

Early Red One,

Sparton,

Elstar Elshof,

Gala Mitschla (Mondial),

Fuji Kiku 8,

Golden Delicious Kloon B,

Camspur ( Red Del.),

Gloster,

TopRed
Crab Apples -

Golden Hornet,

Manchurian,

Snow Drift,

Red Flesh

Rootstocks -

M 4,

M 7,

M9,

M 26,

MM 106,

MM-111,

M 793,

ANLARP-A2,

Bud 9