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One of today's designations is "National Eat a Red Apple Day", which leads to today's trivia question. How do red apples compare to green ones? Which of the four following statements are true? (1.) Red apples are sweeter. (2.) Red apples are better for baking. (3.) There are more varieties of red apples than there are for green apples. (We're talking about what you can find in a grocery store.) (4.) While there are many slight differences, red apples can be considered more nutritious than green ones.
Answer:
You've heard the statement about eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away, and there's some truth in that old statement. Apples are rich in fiber and antioxidants. They've been shown to help lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and they may help promote weight loss and improve gut and brain health. So what are the differences between red and green apples? Red are definitely more popular. Much of that is about appearance. Are red apples sweeter than green ones? Yes, that's true. Green apples are described as having a tart-sweet taste. Red apples are said to be juicier. Green apples have a thicker skin, which makes than crispier.
Statement two says red apples are better for baking, and that statement is false. Green apples, like Granny Smith apples, have a much denser texture. That makes them better able to withstand high heat. So green apples are preferred when apples are used for baking. Statement three says there are more varieties of red apples than green. And that's true. Although as many as 7500 different types of green apples are grown around the world, nearly all the green apples you find in a grocery store are the Granny Smith variety. Others that you may find include Crispin, Shizuka and Pippins. Stores carry more varieties of red apples, including Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala, Red Delicious, Courtland, and many more.
The fourth statement is that red apples are more nutritious. And that's false. The differences are slight. Green apples are lower in calories and carbs. Green also have 63% more protein, slightly more fiber, more potassium and iron. Red is higher in beta carotene and in antioxidants. The only major difference in nutrition is that green apples have almost twice as much vitamin A than red apples. If you had to pick one over the other, green apples would win. There are several other factors that affect the content in apples, including where they are grown, when they are harvested and how they are stored.
