Apple Trivia

You can find apples growing in every state in the continental United States. The top apple-yielding states? Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California and Virginia. The most popular apple raised in the country is ‘Red Delicious,’ followed by No. 2 favorite ‘Golden Delicious.’ Despite similar names, these apples are not related.

Apples are presidential fruits, having been raised by many former occupants of the White House. ‘Albermarle Pippin’ was a highly favored variety in the orchards of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. This apple traces its history to 1700 and was the most prized American dessert apple of the early 18th Century.

The saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” traces to Old English, hinting at the fruit’s rich nutritional benefits. The original saying goes like this: “Ate an apfel avore gwain to bed, make the doctor beg his breads.” Apples—including juice and cider—supply boron, an important mineral for health. Apple cider is one of the earliest prescribed antidepressants.

Apples boast skin in an array of shades, from classic red and yellow, to pale green, to streaked and striped varieties. For this autumn fruit, beauty is more than skin deep. A medium apple (tennis ball size) offers 80 calories, no fat, cholesterol or sodium, and is packed with good-for-you fiber—5 grams per fruit. High fiber content means the natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, which helps with maintaining steady blood sugar levels.