You’ve certainly seen apples being depicted (aside from the dreaded fruit that Adam and Eve ate that brought the fall of man in the early days of Genesis) as that succulent red fruit being brought about and maybe even thrown vertically into the air in between bites on the way to school by little boys with their backpacks or belt-enclosed books hanging on their shoulders. And most certainly you’ve also heard of the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Well, it would obviously take more than just a single apple a day to keep you healthy, wealthy and wise (oh, wait, that’s a different saying), but apples are a cheap, delightful snack you can easily carry around with no need to peel; they freshen your breath (or haven’t you noticed?); and they are low in calories but pack a punch when it comes to nutrients! Let’s take a look at apple nutrition, or the nutritional content of apples.

The average-sized apple provides 80 to 110 calories—a great snack for weight watchers as an apple or two will leave you full but will not expand your waistline. Both soluble and insoluble fibers abound as well, providing roughly 10% of one’s recommended daily intake. These help prevent cholesterol build-up in blood vessel walls, hence lowering significantly the risk of atherosclerosis and heart diseases. There is of course the more famous function of fibers: digestion is facilitated smoothly as the digestive tract is cleansed and through it food is moved quickly. Insulin levels through the fibers are also controlled by slowing the release of sugar into your bloodstream. And the pectin from the fruit also helps lower insulin secretion and flush out toxins from the body.

That’s not the best part of apple nutrition, however. Apples help a lot in maintaining the optimal functioning of the heart. An average-sized apple provides 150 mg of potassium for that purpose. Flavonoids, substances which are known for their antioxidant activity, can be acquired richly from it as well, allowing a reduction of up to 20% in the risk of heart disease for those who love munching on the fruit. Other substances such as antioxidant phytochemicals, phenolic compounds, and quercetin (a specific flavonoid found in large amounts in apples and apple juice capable of providing up to 95% of the total recommended flavonoid intake) contribute greatly to decreasing low-density lipoprotein levels ("bad" cholesterol) and diminishing the risk of lung cancer and other malignancies such as skin and colon cancer.

Apples also were one of the earliest antidepressants prescribed. Don’t you immediately feel cheerful and bright just biting into that shiny red skin and into that juicy flesh of the fruit? The skin is actually rich in insoluble fiber and the aroma and flavor of the fruit originate from its cells.

So what is there to doubt about apple nutrition? Or perhaps the better question is, what’s not to like about apples? Well, there’s the fact that without the skin, when exposed to air, the flesh of the apple turns brown. But that’s hardly something to complain about. Go, eat an apple now.