Apples and Apples

Answer 1

I know that usually we talk a lot about more general tips that you can use to keep on track with your fitness and weight loss goals. Today however we are going to take some time out and look at one specific food and how it can be of use to your efforts.

Like all of the best things in life we will start at the very beginning. In this case with the beginning of the alphabet: An A word, the Apple.

The odds are you do not give this oddly shaped Red (or green or yellow) fruit much of a second thought in your day-to-day life, do you? It is ok if you answered no. I used to be the exact same way before. Now, I swear by the apple in all its forms as a delicious, filling, healthy food choice.

Let's begin by taking a look at the apples stats, more commonly known as its nutritional information.

Facts about Apples - for 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

That isn't bad for a fruit. You get a sweet taste, filling fiber and a whole host of vitamins for a fairly low calorie count. You can't scoff at that when you're trying to lose some of those excess pounds.

Preparations

One of the best features of an apple is that all you have to do is rinse it to eat it. No peeling, no slicing, no pitting is required to enjoy this fruit. In the convenience age that is an amazing thing.

If however you are feeling ambitious you can take one of my favorite apples out for a spin. It is an American classic that gives the apple a dessert feel.

What You Need

• 4 large apples
• 1/4-cup brown sugar
• 1-teaspoon cinnamon
• _ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp butter
• A pinch of crystallized ginger

Other Items You Will Need to have on hand.

A small baking pan.

Enough water to make about 1/8 of an inch of water in the pan.

Prep work

Core out your apples and quarter them. Then you add the water in to the pan. Don't go very high at all. 1/8 of an inch looks a lot like a thin coating on the bottom of your pan. Then you will mix up your sugar, spices and butter (melt it first please) and mix it all up. Then put it on top like a crumble on the apple slices. Slide that into a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft when you press a fork into them.

Now, you can enjoy your apples both ways whenever you want. There is no reason to grab for a high calorie low nutrition snack again.

Happy eating my friends.