A Good Apple

Can't decide which apples to grab at the grocery? Research points to the Red Delicious variety.

Thanks to plant compounds such as quercetin and other polyphenolics, all apples give your family a disease-fighting boost. However, a recent Canadian study revealed that Red Delicious apples and Northern Spy apples had the highest concentrations of polyphenolics of all the apple varieties that were tested.

The list of health-promoting compounds in apples is long. In addition to quercetin, they contain catechins and gallic acid. These plant compounds have been linked to a decreased risk of certain diseases, such as lung cancer, asthma, and diabetes. Apples are also an excellent source of fiber. A single fresh apple contains almost 4 grams of fiber, 147 milligrams of potassium, and only 70 calories.

For a healthy snack, have kids dip sliced apples into yogurt, honey and cinnamon, peanut butter, or, if kids are allergic to peanuts, other nut butters. Spritz a bit of lemon juice onto the apple slices to keep them from turning brown. Also, once kids are over 2 years old, be sure to leave the peels on. Apple peels contain approximately two to six times more phenolic compounds than the apple flesh. Apple peels contain more flavonoids as well. Serve a variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure that your kids get a wide array of vitamins and health-boosting phytochemicals in their diets, and make sure apples are part of the mix.