An apple is rightfully considered one of the most healthy plant foods on the planet. It contains many vitamins, minerals and other trace elements vital for the body. However, many people are interested in whether there is starch in an apple and how it can harm.
Fruit History
Many legends and legends have long been associated with the apple. The most famous of them is the biblical story of a snake-tempter who descended from the Tree of Knowledge to Adam and Eve. Also, many children and adults in tales heard references to rejuvenating apples that can stop aging and make people beautiful, as before.
In world history, one of the most interesting is the legend of the Trojan War. The reason for the memorable battle was the apple of discord, which quarreled the gods of Olympus among themselves. Students can easily remember how Newton discovered his first law. As you know, an apple fell on the head of a physicist, and suddenly a scientist dawned. Immediately after that, he deduced the formula of universal gravitation, which people still use.
In the modern world, when the apple is mentioned, the popular Apple Corporation immediately comes to mind. It was this fruit that became the face of the company that every teenager recognizes today.
As for the exact time and place of occurrence of the apple, they have not been established. It is only known that the inhabitants of Asia Minor began to cultivate it. After a long time, the fruit was brought to Egypt, then to Palestine. He got to Europe only two millennia ago. Also, historians have found that a few centuries BC people have already managed to produce more than 20 varieties. Today there are about 70 of them.
Popular varieties of apples
At the moment, fruit is usually divided into two types: winter and summer. It is worth noting that all varieties have their pros and cons.
Summer apples are harvested mainly in July and August. Their main disadvantage is the short shelf life. The fact is that summer varieties very quickly deteriorate, begin to blacken. On the other hand, they are ideal for canning.
The most popular summer varieties:
- White filling . It has good yield and large fruit sizes. Gather at the end of July.
- Borovinka . This variety has moderate yields. The fruits are sweet and sour.
- Grushovka . It does not tolerate hot weather, quickly deteriorates. In Russia, it ranks first in popularity.
- Melba . One of the latest summer varieties. Gather closer to September. Differs in low productivity, hence the high cost.
- Chinese woman . The largest fruit of all summer varieties. It ripens late, tastes delicate, sweet.
As for winter varieties, their harvest begins to be harvested only in October. Such apples are well stored for a long time and transported without problems. Not tied to a specific air temperature and climate. Shelf life - up to 1 year.
The most common winter varieties:
- Calville is snowy . Very aromatic fruits with a characteristic sweet and sour taste. Resistant to pests and severe frosts.
- Pepin . The fruits are hard. They can be eaten only 2 months after collection.
- The first thing . The fruits have a cherry color, the taste is sweet and sour. Can be stored no more than 1 month.
- Synap . It has oblong fruits with a yellow color. Shelf life - up to six months.
- Orlik . Red fruits, sweet flesh. The variety is resistant to frost, so it can be stored until March next year.
Chemical composition
Ripe apples contain a huge amount of useful trace elements that significantly strengthen the body and contribute to the normalization of all its internal systems.
This fruit contains such important mineral components as phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, magnesium, calcium and sodium. However, the most potassium in apples. This substance in them is 4 times more than all other minerals, namely 276 mg per 100 g of product.
Vitamins contained in the apple: thiamine, pyridoxine, biotin, riboflavin, phylloquinone, beta-carotene, niacin equivalent and many others. It also has a share of folic and pantothenic acid. The chemical composition of the apple is rich in vitamin groups such as PP, A, B, C, E, K and N. This makes the fruit indispensable and extremely useful for all internal organs of a person.
The chemical composition of the apple is also enriched with iodine, manganese, boron, aluminum, rubidium, selenium, zinc, copper, cobalt and other trace elements. In the first place among the useful organic metals in the apple is iron. Its composition per 100 g contains more than 2.2 mg.
Apple starch
Despite the rich composition of nutrients, many popular fruits also have harmful micro-components. Many people wonder: "Does starch contain in apple and in what quantity?" It is immediately worth noting that this substance is part of 90% of the foods that a person consumes in everyday life. Unlike many other harmful components, starch is dangerous to the body only in large quantities.
We can say that the concentrate of the substance is found in potatoes, but this vegetable takes first place in popularity around the world. The apple has starch, but its amount is very small and does not harm health. 100 g of ripe fruit accounts for only 0.8 g of the substance. Harmful daily dose of the component - from 30 g.
Is there starch in an unripe apple? This question has been repeatedly answered by scientists around the world. In an unripe apple, the level of starch is really elevated, therefore, in this form, fruit in large quantities is not recommended. During ripening, the harmful micro-component is converted to sucrose, which, on the contrary, is beneficial to the body.
At home, you can easily check if there is starch in the apple. To do this, drip a little tincture of iodine on the pulp of the fruit. If it remains brown, then the minimum amount of starch in the apple. If the flesh turns blue (with a purple tint), then the fruit contains a
harmful substance.Nutritional and energy value
One of the lowest calorie and nutritious fruits is an apple. The composition of the product includes a minimum amount of proteins and fats, as well as harmful organic acids. Apples are high in carbohydrates and disaccharides, which allows beneficial substances to break down and absorb into the blood faster. In addition, the composition of the fruit includes dietary fiber, unsaturated acids and ash, but most of all it contains water (86% of the total mass).
The energy value of 100 g of apples is approximately 47 calories. One medium-sized piece (6 cm in diameter) contains about 120 kcal. No wonder apples are recommended for any strict diet. The composition and calorie content of the product make it attractive for everyday cooking (salads, compotes, etc.).
The benefits of apples
It has been proven that daily consumption of a moderate amount of this fruit significantly reduces blood cholesterol. The fact is that it contains such useful substances as dietary fiber and pectin. These components remove excess cholesterol from the blood. One average apple contains 10% of the daily fiber requirement, which the human body desperately needs. It is worth noting that these trace elements are not only in the pulp, but also in the peel.
A ripe apple, in which vitamins and minerals occupy 14% of the total mass, is useful for the prevention of many acute and chronic diseases. In addition, the fruit is prescribed to patients with dysentery, bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal tract, with constipation, colitis and problems with the gall bladder.
Apples help to normalize metabolism, so they are so common in dietetics. The peel contains a lot of vitamin C and the antioxidant quercetin, which saturate the body with the necessary acids and break down harmful radicals such as arsenic and lead.
In what form are apples healthier
Firstly, it is worth paying attention to whether the fruit is imported or not. Apples brought from afar are treated with chemicals to withstand long-term transportation. It is also possible that they were fertilized with harmful additives for accelerated maturation. The origin of local fruits can always be traced.
As for taste, sour and sweet apples are equally beneficial for the body. However, the former are contraindicated in case of increased acidity of the gastric juice and problems with tooth enamel.
It’s no secret that raw apples are most beneficial. People with poor digestion are advised to eat baked fruit. Does the apple contain starch after heat treatment? Least of this harmful substance is found in boiled and baked fruit.
Another common question: "Is there starch in a dried apple?" After this procedure, many harmful components evaporate from the fruit. However, the starch in the apple is in a more stable relationship, so this substance after drying remains almost in the same volume as in the raw product.
The harm of apples
It should be understood that not all fruits are equally healthy. With a prolonged apple diet, coarse fiber accumulates in the human body. Subsequently, it leads to disruption of the digestive tract until the exacerbation of colitis. In the future, without proper treatment, a person may develop gastritis and even a stomach ulcer.
Red varieties are contraindicated for people with problems of the cardiovascular system and a tendency to allergies. In addition, it is not recommended to use fetal bones, since they include a substance that releases hydrocyanic acid in the stomach , which is extremely dangerous for the body.
Apple Tips
With obesity, mixed freshly squeezed juices help well. The recipe includes 150 ml of apple, 75 ml of melon, 15 ml of tomato and 10 ml of lemon. The daily dose is 1 glass of drink.
With gastritis, only green varieties are allowed for prevention. To use in a pureed form without a peel in the morning 4 hours before breakfast.
Apple puree also has a healing property, which is why it is recommended for cracked skin. To prepare the mixture, you will need the pulp of fruit and butter in a ratio of 1 to 1.
Apple storage
It is important to remember that winter varieties are more resistant to external influences than summer varieties, so they can lie for several months without spoilage.
It is recommended to store apples in a cool place (basement, cellar). Summer varieties spoil a week after harvest, so they should always be in the refrigerator.
Do not forget that the apple has starch, which evaporates after heat treatment. Therefore, the best option for long-term storage of these fruits is rolling.