An apple a day, keeps the doctor away – and here is why! Studies by researchers at Cornell University show that the combination of phytochemicals in apples plays a very important role in antioxidant and anti- cancer activity. An apple packs more cancer fighting antioxidant capability than a 1,500 milligram megadose of vitamin C. Antioxidant phytonutrients found in apples fight the damaging effects of bad LDL cholesterol to keep your heart healthy.

Thousands of families in England and Scotland were studied in 1937 and 1939 – and the children were followed for more than sixty years! The results were published in the March 2003 issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Those children in the top 25 percent of fruit eaters in the study were 38 percent less likely to develop cancer throughout their lives, even after taking other risks such as tobacco into account. As little as 88.4 grams of fruit a day (the size of a small apple) had a significant protective effect. Does the benefit of childhood fruit-eating come from establishing good habits? We do know that adult-fruit-eating protects against cancers. Either way, each bite of fresh fruit, especially organic fruit, protects against the DNA damage that can lead to cancer.

Daily apple eaters breathe more easily due to stronger lung function. Apples contain boron, an essential trace element that helps harden bones decreasing the effects of osteoporosis. Apples are loaded with pectin, a soluble fiber that aids digestion. One apple can provide as much dietary fiber (5 grams) as a bowl of bran cereal. The complex carbohydrates in apples give your body a longer, more even energy boost compared to high-sugar snacks. Apples contain no fat, no sodium, and no cholesterol. A medium apple is about 80 calories.

There are over 2500 varieties of apples grown in the United States. Apples stored carefully at cool temperatures will be fresh for almost a year. Apples can be red, yellow, green, or any combination of those colors. Apples can rust. The flesh of the apple contains a chemical that reacts with oxygen just like metal does and it will turn brown when exposed to the air. Handle apples gently to prevent bruising. Storing apples in a plastic bag in the crisper section of your refrigerator in order to maintain the right temperature and humidity level will keep the apples crisper and juicier longer. Store apples away from foods with strong odors. Apples are porous and will absorb strong food odors. Do not store apples with vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower. Apples give off a gas that will damage them. The gas that apples produce will also speed up the ripening of other fruits such as bananas, kiwis, peaches, pears and plums when stored together. Apples are a member of the rose family. 25 percent of an apple's volume is air. That is why they float.

Greek and Roman mythology refer to apples as symbols of love and beauty. When the Romans conquered England about the first century B.C., they brought apple cultivation with them. The Pilgrims discovered crabapples had preceded them to America, but the fruit was not very edible. The Massachusetts Bay Colony requested seeds and cuttings from England, which were brought over on later voyages of the Mayflower. Other Europeans brought apple stock to Virginia and the Southwest, and a Massachusetts man, John Chapman, became famous for planting trees throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois (his name became Johnny Appleseed). Seeds from an apple given to a London sea captain in 1820 are sometimes said to be the origin of the State of Washington apple crop (now the largest in the US). As the country was settled, nearly every farm grew some apples. Of nearly 8000 varieties known around the world, about 100 are grown in commercial quantity in the U.S., with the top 10 comprising over 90% of the crop. Americans eat 19.6 pounds or about 65 fresh apples every year.

The United States is the leading organic apple producer in the world, with Washington State growing about two-thirds of U.S. certified organic apples. Good reasons to buy organic apples: organic orcharding protects future generations; organic production reduces health risks from chemicals; organic orchards respect our water resources; organic growers build healthy soil; organic growers strive to preserve biodiversity; organic orcharding saves energy; and lastly, organic orcharding helps small growers.