2 ways to eat this delicious and super-healthy fall fruit.
By Erin O'Donnell
WebMD Magazine - Feature
An apple a day really might keep the doctor away. A study of postmenopausal women found that those who ate two medium apples daily for a year had a 23% drop in LDL or "bad" cholesterol.
What's apples' secret? Bahram Arjmandi, PhD, RD, who led the study, believes one benefit comes from pectin, a powerful fiber that binds to cholesterol and sweeps it out of the body.
Eating two apples a day "does so much good in terms of cardiovascular health," he says. Arjmandi is the director of the Center for Advancing Exercise and Nutrition Research on Aging at Florida State University.
Any type of apple will do, as long as you eat them with the skin (a source of beneficial plant chemicals called polyphenols) and choose the freshest fruit, since pectin begins to break down in overly ripe apples. Arjmandi himself has a daily apple habit. He thinks men are likely to get the same cholesterol-lowering benefits. His core message? Get crunching.
Central Pork
This recipe pairs apples with roasted pork, a beloved fall combo. As an alternative to roasting, you can grill the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the meat registers 145 F.
Spiced Pork Tenderloin With Glazed Apples
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
½ tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp mace
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 pork tenderloin, about 1¼ lbs
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
¼ cup apple juice or cider
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large apples, such as Granny Smith, Gala, or Honeycrisp, peeled and cut into wedges
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
tbsp chopped fresh sage (can substitute rosemary or thyme)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and spices, and sprinkle evenly over pork. Place pork in a roasting pan. Roast about 25 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 145ºF. Let rest at least five minutes before slicing.
2. While pork is roasting, coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Add butter and onion, and sauté onion until lightly browned.
3. In a small bowl combine apple juice, mustard, and syrup. Add sauce and apples to skillet and heat until apples are just tender. Add vinegar and sage, and serve apple mixture over sliced pork medallions.
Per serving
287 calories, 27 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 8 g total fat (3 g saturated fat), 90 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 404 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 24%
Spice of Life
This warming dessert features five-spice powder, a spicy-sweet Chinese seasoning made with cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns. Find it in the spice section of most large supermarkets, or use plain cinnamon instead.
source : An Apple a Day: Apple Recipes and Tips
