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PEELING AN APPLE WILL REMOVE 50% OF ITS TOTAL FIBRE AND AROUND 30% OF ITS VITAMIN C.

That’s right when you peel that apple you are literally wasting 50% of that fibre goodness. The average medium apple contains 4.4g of fibre. Fibre is a complex carbohydrate (type of sugar) but unlike other carbohydrates, which are broken down by the body to provide fuel in the form of glucose, fibre cannot be digested by the human body. We gain no nutrients or energy from fibre. However, it provides an important function in the body; it is essential to a well-tuned digestive system and can help the body remove potentially harmful waste.

Our "intestinal flora" consists of all "good" bacteria that are found in the intestine. In our intestines there are different types of bacteria, pathogens and some other non-essential substances. They allow the absorption of nutrients and promote good intestinal health. Apples contain both soluble and insoluble fibre, 77 percent of the total amount is insoluble. Insoluble fibre prevents constipation by binding with water and pushing digestive waste through the large intestine. Soluble fibre becomes gelatinous when it mixes with water in your digestive tract. It makes you feel full, slows down the absorption of nutrients, and prevents spikes in blood sugar. Soluble fibre also helps lower your levels of cholesterol.

The peel contains approximately 72 % of the apples anti-oxidant vitamin E and vitamin K. The skin also holds nearly half of the total iron and all of the apple’s folate (natural folic acid).

Benefits of fibre include:

· High fibre foods help to fill you up.

· Foods that are high in fibre keep you feeling fuller for longer.

· Fibre is well known for sustaining regular bowel movements.

· Fibre is useful for maintaining healthy colon function

· People who eat a lot of fibre are more likely to be slimmer

Researchers have recently compared intake of whole apples to intake of applesauce and apple juice, only to discover that people report less hunger after eating whole apples than after eating applesauce or drinking apple juice. In addition to their unusual polyphenol composition, apples also provide us with about 8 milligrams of vitamin C. Clearly this is not just anecdotal but rather based on scientific evidence.

When it comes to eating the skin of apples there are valid concerns regarding pesticides and wax. Some apple growers use variety of pesticides to protect the apples before harvesting. Fortunately, most western countries have regulatory bodies that inspect produce before its shipped to ensure that pesticides are at or below safe levels. Washing fruit removes most, but not necessarily all the remaining pesticides. If you are concerned about the amount of pesticides, you are consuming from apple skin the try to buy certified organic apples which are grown without man-made pesticides. After harvesting sometimes additional wax is added to prolong storage. Also, it makes the apples look fresh and shiny. This additional wax may just be as bad as pesticides. However, apples do naturally produce wax coating that appears powdery on the peel. This natural wax protects the apple from absorbing water, while holding its natural juice.

In terms of cleaning apples to get rid of pesticides and wax, do not wash your apples in soap because detergents can be absorbed onto the peel. You can just rinse the apple under cool water and dry it with a clean towel. Better yet wash them in a mix of apple cider vinegar and water.

To prevent browning when slicing apples for a recipe, simply put the slices in a bowl of cold water to which a spoonful of lemon juice has been added. For use in future recipes, sliced apples freeze well in plastic bags or containers.

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/fibre.html



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