Golden apples: calories, BJU, benefits and harms
Walking around the store, you most likely noticed small yellowish apples with the beautiful name "Golden" on the shelves more than once. If you are attracted by their appearance, but you doubt the internal content, we will share with you the most detailed description of this variety.
It should be noted right away that today this type is one of the best due to its taste and attractive presentation. Delicate taste is intertwined with the sweetness of honey - this is how you can describe your feelings from getting to know this bright fruit. True, such fragrant notes can easily disappear as a result of improper long-term storage. But if you do everything right, then perhaps the taste will be enriched.
Do not be guided by the taste preferences of other buyers. You should try this fruit for yourself. This will help you decide whether to buy them later or not.
Variety Description
For more than a dozen years, the Golden apple variety has been known and widely distributed in the United States and Western Europe. Plantations of gigantic proportions are allocated for its cultivation. The product is used not only for consumption in home regions, but is also transported to other countries of the world.
A legend about the accidental origin of a beautiful variety of the apple family goes around the American lands. Residents of West Virginia in the early 1900s first noticed a tree covered with yellow fruits.As it turned out later, it had been growing in this very place since the late 1890s. But the "parents" of this variety have not been found. Until today, the origin of this variety is shrouded in mystery, which gives these apples a certain exoticism. Of course, some breeders have suggested that Grimes Golden and Golden Reinette are among the origins of this species.
The enigmatic variety did not remain free and wild for long. In the first half of the 19th century, representatives of the Stark Brothers Gardens horticultural company bought cuttings cut from the then nameless tree. From that moment, the cultivation of "golden fruits" began to gain momentum, gradually turning into a fruit brand. By the way, Golden apples have been coming to Russia recently. At the same time, additional names of the variety appear in our markets: “Apple-Pear” and “Golden Excellent”.
Apples "Golden" are slightly elongated fruits of a round or oval shape. And also they differ in very large sizes, the average weight of which reaches 180 grams.
Their skin is quite thick. In the early stages of ripening, the fruits have a yellowish-green color, slightly different from other varieties. But fully ripened apples acquire a pure yellow color, for which they got their name.
On the skin, you may notice frequent small black dots. Do not worry, these are not signs of damage or disease, but a distinctive feature of this species.
The pulp of ripened fruits is not at all hard, has a greenish tint. It is this part of the apple that professional chefs and just housewives use to prepare the best fruit delicacies, including salads, applesauce for children of different ages, juices and preserves.And also from it receive apple butter.
The variety has a long range of different advantages, but, like its other counterparts, it has its drawbacks. The advantages include a high yield per tree. And given the large weight of an apple, which exceeds 170 grams, we can conclude that the gardener receives more than 80 kilograms of fruit from one apple tree.
Collections, as a rule, begin in the autumn-winter period. This fruiting period is considered early, due to which the variety is especially loved by gardeners. And also for being drought tolerant and able to survive winter conditions (with proper care).
Not susceptible to some diseases and pests. The correct storage method will keep the harvest intact, and its taste will only be enriched. Long-distance transportation transfers normally.
Of course, now on the shelves of stores you can find any varieties of apples you like that look irresistible. It is for this reason that few people are interested in how and where Golden grows.
If suddenly you decide to grow the Golden apple tree in our Russian gardens, you should study the characteristics of the plant in more detail:
- the culture is barren, therefore, an artificial method of pollination (manual) is required, but the Idared and Simirenko varieties are also suitable for this procedure;
- height of mature trees of medium size;
- a young crown in the shape of a cone, fruiting - round and wide, branches with foliage are strongly intertwined;
- bright green leaves in the shape of an oval with a slightly elongated tip;
- the bark of the trunk is dark gray in color with visible greenish specks;
- fruiting of an apple tree begins somewhere from the age of two;
- early fruits are always in large quantities (collection from a tree reaches 80 kg per year);
- the choice of location should fall on areas with good sun exposure;
- a suitable type of soil would be carbonate-soddy and loamy;
- Regular fertilizers will help keep a healthy apple tree.
Interestingly, this variety is an excellent pollinator, which is why many other apple varieties have been bred and are still growing with it. Judging by the reviews, in Russia, apple trees of this species have taken root well and delight their owners with a bright and juicy harvest every season.
Composition and calorie content
Absolutely all fruits are exceptionally useful for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The high content of valuable components contributes to the normal functioning of the entire human body. Apples occupy one of the most important places among healthy and nutritious foods. Half of the apple is filled only with water, which acts as a lever in the work of a single organ. The rest is largely represented by fibers from the peel and pulp. 100 g of the product contains 57 kcal. At the same time, 1 pc. a ripe fruit weighs an average of 180-200 grams, which is why its calorie content varies from 102.7 to 114 kcal. The nutritional value of a peeled apple is only 48 calories per 100 g.
The chemical composition of Golden apples is a collection of all the necessary macronutrients and vitamins, amino acids and fibers, as well as a high percentage of fiber, without which, by the way, the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is impossible.
Detailed list:
- vitamin A;
- vitamin group B (B1, B2, B4, B5, B6);
- beta carotene;
- lutein;
- vitamin K;
- beta-cryptoxanthin;
- vitamin PP;
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- manganese;
- zinc;
- calcium;
- sodium;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- copper;
- pectin;
- essential acids (arginine, leucine, tryptophan, valine, lysine, histidine, methionine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, threonine);
- essential acids (glycine, cysteine, tyrosine, alanine, proline, aspartic and glutamic acids, serine);
- glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch, mono- and disaccharides act as carbohydrates.
The nutritional value
Despite the sufficient amount of sugars in the pulp of the fruit, experts still define it as dietary.
Visually, BJU can be represented as follows:
- 0.5 g protein;
- 0.2 g fat;
- 10.5 carbohydrates.
The glycemic index can range from 30 to 45 units. GI depends on the sugar content in the product, therefore, the less "sweets", the lower the index. Such low rates make it possible to include green fruits in the daily diet of patients with diabetes and those who are struggling with being overweight.
Remember, during heat treatment and frequent grinding, part of the dietary fiber is destroyed, from which the glycemic index numbers tend to rise. As a result, the product becomes less useful.
Beneficial features
Apple culture has long been considered to be often used as food. Think of works of art, such as paintings or literary texts. They describe in detail the rich receptions of famous personalities, and not a single table was complete without a tray of bulk apples. And this dessert has been popular for centuries not only because of its taste alone.
Maybe Golden apples have not been immortalized in the most famous works, but this does not mean that they are inferior to their counterparts. Yes, first of all, this species is a sweet and tasty fruit with a pleasant aroma.
But besides this, the plant product is able to have a beneficial effect on the state of individual organs, as well as get rid of some ailments.
The main benefit is that the "golden apple":
- prevents the appearance of atherosclerosis, and also stops its development;
- facilitates inflammatory processes of connective tissues, for example, with rheumatism;
- preserves and strengthens the general state of vision;
- significantly improves the growth and strengthening of bone tissue (growing children and pregnant women especially need this);
- affects the rapid decrease in body weight (proven by more than a dozen scientific studies);
- normalizes the external condition of nails and hairline;
- significantly reduces the risk of dermatological diseases;
- acts as an effective cleanser of the body from toxins and toxins;
- improves the absorption of iron;
- prevents the formation of cancer cells;
- stabilizes the proper functioning of the thyroid gland due to the iodine contained in its bones;
- strengthens the immune system, which acts as a protector against viral and infectious diseases;
- lowers cholesterol levels;
- regular use helps cleanse blood vessels;
- the contained fiber and fibers help to cope with intestinal problems (normalization of the stool);
- can eliminate plaque due to the presence of malic acid;
- considered a prophylactic product for diseases of the kidneys, liver and heart;
- contained hemoglobin regulates its level in the blood (cures from anemia);
- has diuretic properties, which is necessary in the fight against edema;
- cooked apple juice is able to cheer up the general mood, relieve stress and fatigue;
- is quite an energy product that can relieve hunger.
Contraindications
Previously, the list of negative consequences from eating apples and apple juice included only individual intolerance, allergic reactions to the product eaten. In such cases, it was easy to avoid the harmful effects - the fruit was banned only for allergy sufferers.
Today, due to the abundant export and mass distribution of the variety in Russia, experts have managed to identify one important point - you need to introduce fruit into your diet in a balanced and competent way.
The fruits of "Golden" can harm some groups of people, as well as in some individual cases:
- suffering from problems with the gastrointestinal tract (this also includes gastritis and ulcers, which can worsen after eating the fruit);
- violation of the functioning of the gallbladder (contained malic acid can lead to inflammatory processes);
- cases of peristalsis are noticeable (constipation is possible);
- a large amount of fruit acid, in fact, can destroy tooth enamel (you can get rid of this by rinsing your mouth after eating a fruit);
- do not abuse apple seeds, because the elements contained in them turn into a poisonous type of acid - hydrocyanic;
- the peel should be cut off due to the fact that fruits are treated with certain chemicals - pesticides - that are harmful to humans before being sold.
Having learned more about the beneficial properties and possible harm to the human body, you will be more conscious in choosing a product. "Golden" is a truly tasty and healthy representative of apple culture. Regular consumption of high-quality selected fruits will have a beneficial effect on your health.
Do not forget about the proper storage of apples. This factor is indeed the most important. After purchase, store them in the refrigerator in the fruit/vegetable drawer or in another cool place, such as a pantry or cellar. An equally important point is that store apples must be thoroughly washed before use, preferably using special detergents. The use of chemical-based treatments by a manufacturer can cause stomach discomfort up to serious problems with the digestive system.
See the next video for more about Golden apples.