It's All About Nutrition!

Facts About Apples

The crabapple is the only apple native to North America.

Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, yellows.

Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie.

The apple blossom is the state flower of Michigan.

There are 2500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States.

There are 7500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world.

There are 100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.

Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.

Apples are grown in all 50 states.

Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.

A medium apples is about 80 calories.

Apples are a great source of the fiber pectin with one apple containing five grams of fiber.

Polomy is the science of apple growing.

It takes four to five years for apple trees to produce their first fruit.

Most apples are still picked by hand in the fall.

Apple varieties range in size from about the size of a cherry to as large as a grapefruit.

Apples are propagated by two methods: grafting or budding.

The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Sea.

Apples are a member of the rose family.

Apples harvested from an average tree can fill 20 boxes of 42 pounds each.

Apples float because 25 percent of the volume is air.

The largest apple picked weighed three pounds.

The average size of a United States orchard is 50 acres.

Many growers use dwarf apple trees.

Most apple blossoms are pink when they open but gradually fade to white.

Some apple trees will grown over forty feet high and live over a hundred years.

Most apples can be grown farther north than most other fruits because they blossom late in spring, minimizing frost damage.

It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.

Apples are the second most valuable fruit grown in the United States.

The largest U. S. apple crop was 277.3 million cartons in 1998.

Apples have five seed pockets or carpels. Each pocket contains seeds. The number of seeds per carpel is determined by the vigor and health of the plant. Different varieties of apples will have different number of seeds.

World’s top apple producers are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy.

In 1730 the first apple nursery was opened in Flushing, New York.

One of George Washington’s hobbies was pruning his apple trees.

Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated.

A peck of apples weight 10.5 pounds.

A bushel of apples weights about 42 pounds and will yield 20-24 quarts of applesauce.

It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider.

Apples account for 50% of the world’s deciduous fruit tree production.

Two-thirds of the fiber and lots of antioxidants are found in the peel.

In 2005 United States consumers ate an average of 46.1 pounds of fresh apples and processed apple products.

The top apple producing states are Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California and Virginia.

Almost one out of every four apples harvested in the United States is exported.

October is National Apple Month.

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How to Provide Healthy School Lunches

Many caregivers struggle to provide children with healthy school lunches.

Good news is that there are some things you can do to at least try and make that perfect nutritious lunch.

The video below discusses some ideas you can use to create those healthy school lunches including adding basics such as calcium, fruit, whole grains and lean protein.

School lunches that are nutritious

What are the goals of the

National Fruit and Vegetable Program?

The goal of the National Fruit & Vegetable Program is to promote health through increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. The National Fruit & Vegetable Program supports initiatives to provide education and to improve access to fruits and vegetables.

What are the components of the National Fruit & Vegetable Program?

The National Fruit & Vegetable Program focuses on several key areas to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables for all Americans.

*Building state and community capacity and infrastructure

*Policy and environmental change

*Nutrition education and behavior change

*Research

*Evaluation

*Communication

*Working with industry and other national partners

Source: FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov

Can fruit juice count towards my

daily fruit intake?

While 100% juice can count towards your intake, the majority of your choices should be whole or cut-up fruits (fresh, frozen, canned, or dried). These fruit choices are better options because they contain dietary fiber. ½ cup (4 fluid ounces) of 100% fruit juice does count as ½ cup of fruit in meeting your requirements.

Source: FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov

If you found this post interesting or helpfull leaving me a comment would be much appreciated. Thanx Jeanne

Healthy Snacking Ideas

Use these easy fun ideas to help your family eat a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables every day.

Try hummus and whole wheat pitas.

Snack on vegetables like bell pepper strips and broccoli with a low-fat or fat-free ranch dip.

Try baked tortilla chips with black bean and corn salsa.

Stash bags of dried fruit at your desk for a convenient snack.

Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk or counter.

Drink a fruit smoothie made with whole fruit, ice cubes, and low-fat or fat-free yogurt.

Top a cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt with sliced fresh fruit.

For quick and easy snacks, stock up on fresh, dried, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables.

Pick up ready-packed salad greens from the produce shelf for a quick salad any time.

Encourage your child to choose his or her own fruit when shopping.

Store cleaned, cut-up vegetables in the fridge at eye level and keep a low-fat or fat-free dip on hand.

Canned, dried, and frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options. Look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.