I like produce. I like to grow it. I like to eat it. I like to create recipes with it. I’m also kind of a nerd and like to get to know my produce. I like learning new or fun tidbits of info about the produce I’m growing/eating/baking. If you’re a weirdo like me then buckle up for this new series as I dive into a plethora of produce facts and share them with you.
1. An apple a day can keep the dentist away! While no substitute for toothpaste, the acid in apples actually helps clean and brighten teeth. Apples act like a mini toothbrush that can scrub away stains.
2. The first apple tree actually originated millions of years ago in Central Asia. While apples are grown in all 50 states, there’s only one type native to the U.S: the crabapple. Of course we would produce an inedible variety with the weirdest name! The most commonly grown apple is Red Delicious, followed by Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Fuji {my favorite!} in that order.
3. Wanna know why we bob for apples and not oranges or perhaps pears? It’s because apples are 25 percent air, making them perfect for floating in water!
4. You can eat an entire apple right down to the core and seeds. It’s much easier to do if you eat it from the top down, but the entire apple really is 100% edible {yet we typically waste about 30% of it because of how we eat them!}. Worried about the cyanide intake from apple seeds? READ THIS.
5. There are over 7,500 varieties of apples grown in the world {over 2,500 in the US alone}, so if you ate a different apple every day, it would take you about 20 years to eat every kind of apple!
6. Americans eat more than 50 pounds fresh apples and apple products per year, second only to the banana!
7. Johnny Appleseed was a real person who planted apple trees all over the United States. Contrary to folk lore, he actually did it because back in the day, land could be claimed if you created a permanent homestead by planting at least 50 trees to start an orchard. So he planted trees and claimed lots of land!
8. In Latin, the same word is used for both “apple” and “evil.” That whole forbidden fruit thing makes a bit more sense now doesn’t it?
9. Apples are actually considerably better for you blood-sugar wise than many other fruits, like bananas. This is because they contain so much fiber that their high sugar content doesn’t really cause a blood sugar spike.
10. The apple is the official fruit of six states: Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Illinois.
Had you heard any of those fun facts before? Do you have any of your own to add? Is there a particular produce item you want to know more about? I take requests!
Grow on,
Mavis
Looking for a few apple recipes? Pop on over HERE and you’ll find 16 of my favorites.
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Carrie Council says
I’ve heard that apples and grapes freshen breathe. My teeth do feel cleaner after sinking my teeth in a crisp apple. 😀
Vicki says
This series is SO interesting – I really enjoy reading about a different vegetable or fruit each week! I’ve recently discovered quinoa, and I’d love to know more about it. Everyone except one in our family of nine loves it. I’ve been thinking about trying to grow it next summer, just for fun.
Daria says
Crab apples are edible – you can make jam out of them, or spice them in sugar syrup and can those, among other things. They’re just sour right off the tree.
Unpasteurized cider is awesome. Drink it quickly though, or it will ferment in your fridge and get interestingly bubbly and taste of vinegar.
Sue R. says
Love Fact #5! Twenty years!!
Brenda says
Laugh of the day:
An Apple a day keeps the doctor away,
But if he’s cute,
Forget the fruit!!
Candy C. says
I walked into my local grocery to pick up a couple items and walked through the back of the produce section. Sitting on a huge stainless cart were 3 cartons (40-50#) full of assorted apples. They were marked to $6.00 a carton. I abandoned my cart and pulled the cart of apples into a checkout line immediately and that was no easy feat. I am only 5’2, 120# and didn’t know how I would load them into my trunk at the time. What a deal! I have made 45 jars of applesauce so far and a few apple pies (#5 apples in each pie) to date. An added bonus is that they are each individually marked so I sorted into varieties when home (8 ). Oh, and I kindly asked the cart collector in the parking lot if he would mind loading the apple boxes in my car. I loaded cloth shopping bags with apples from my trunk to unload. My car has now officially lost the new car smell which lasted a year and a few months and now smells of apple! I was adamant of no eating, smoking, or drinking coffee in my car but oh well. Can’t air it out yet because it would attract those pesky yellow jackets this time of year and I am highly allergic to stings. Oh, there were a few apples in the bunch that needed to be tossed onto the compost pile but still, I am totally pleased.