Guest Author - Jill Valente

Apples are one of the healthiest foods you can enjoy. Studies have also shown that eating apples helps prevent or lessens the chance of cancer, stroke, heart disease, asthma and diabetes. Plus they contain boron, an element which hardens the bones in order to avoid osteoporosis. Need more reasons to enjoy them? Well, they can also help you lose weight and they are the ideal teeth cleaning and whitening tools. A perfect food!

With over 25 varieties of apples available in the United States, choosing the best for the best purpose can be difficult. Take a look at this chart for a description and suggestions uses for each:

Cortland
- Sweet with a hint of tartness
- Paper-white flesh
- Juicy and crisp
- Good drying
- Excellent for eating, pies and baking
- A great all-purpose apple

Crispin
- Delicately spicy and sweet
- Crisp and juicy with a touch of tartness
- White flesh
- Excellent for eating and baking
- Best for baked apples and desserts

Empire
- Unique sweet/tart taste
- Very juicy
- Creamy white flesh
- Excellent for eating, sauce and pies

Gala
- Mildly sweet flavor
- Super crisp and fragrant
- Pinkish, orange strips over a yellow background
- Great for salads and sauce
- Recently gained in popularity

Golden Delicious
- Mild and sweet, mellow flavor
- Very crisp and juicy
- Golden, yellow skin sometimes with hints of pink
- Excellent for eating, baking and sauce
- Great in salads, check out my recipe for Crunchy Cole Slaw

Granny Smith
- Crisp and tart
- Bright green exterior
- Juicy and versatile
- Tartness is perfect for apple pie

Honey Crisp
- Tart, sweet and juicy
- Super crisp
- Superb for eating and salads
- Great sliced with aged white cheddar cheese and roasted almonds

Jona Gold
- Honey sweet with a hint of tartness
- Crisp and juicy
- Orange tinted apple
- Excellent for eating, baking and sauce
- Great for pies

McIntosh
- Sweet with a tart tang
- Very juicy and crisp
- Highly aromatic
- Excellent for cider and pies
- A classic eating apple

Red Delicious
- Extra sweet flavor
- Crisp, yellow flesh
- Heart shaped and bright red
- Great for sauce and they make a sweet cider
- America’s favorite snacking apple