Happy National Apple Month!

By Ashley Seeberger, B.S, RDN

The air is crisp, the leaves are starting to change, and pumpkin spice has taken over everything!  But if you ask me, the most underrated flavor of Fall is the warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg mixed with the sweet crispness of a farm fresh apple!  Apple picking is in full swing, so it's fitting that October is named National Apple Month!

While apples often times find their ways into pies, muffins, spreads, oatmeal, and other baked goods, it has several great reasons to be enjoyed on its own or as part of a snack.  Here are my top 5 reasons why an apple deserves a regular place in your diet!

1. An apple a day.....
Okay, so it might not always keep the doctor away, but looking at the nutrition breakdown of an apple, one can see where the saying came from!  Apples are not only a great source of fiber carrying about 4-5g per medium sized apple, but also a great source of vitamin C, E, B1 and B6.

2. Fits in well as a part of a balanced weight loss plan
As I mentioned in #1, apples pack a punch for fiber content!  Being primarily fiber and water is helpful when it comes to holding onto that feeling of fullness.  Pair an apple with your nut butter of choice or a cheese stick and you have a balanced snack packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.  Everything you need to achieve your goals!

3. Happy heart, happy life
The fiber content in apples (are you noticing a trend?) is helpful when it comes to heart health as well due to the heart related benefits associated with fiber such as lowering cholesterol along with lowering risk of heart disease. Apples also contain polyphenols which are a type of antioxidant that are thought to help neutralize free radicals that increase your risk of things like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

4. Blood Sugar Support
While an average apple has about 25g of sugar, it still presents itself as a better and lower sugar option than something like a glazed donut.  While it is lower in sugar, its fiber content helps keep glucose levels a bit more calm and without any spikes.  Chronically high blood sugars increase your likeliness to develop type 2 diabetes.  So by incorporating apples into your diet regularly, you are supporting your blood sugars and decreasing your risk of diabetes.

5. Eat Local, Support Agriculture
This one isn't as much of a nutritional recommendation, but one that I find equally important.  By purchasing locally grown apples, you're support your neighbor.  A neighbor that works tirelessly all year protecting and grooming the trees and fruit the best they can while gambling with Mother Nature only to have about eight weeks of harvest season.  There is so much more to producing apples than just letting them grow on the tree.  There is pruning, grooming, calculating chemistry to make sure the apples are provided the nutrients needed to grow successfully, tending of the orchards around all the trees, and combating pests (big and small).  When the fruit is ready to be picked, it's long labor hours to make sure the fruit is off the tree at the right time, followed by a long and intricate process on a packing line that follows several strict food safety guidelines, as well as additional storing/selling/buying policies and procedures.

So when you buy that bushel of apples every week from the local farm stand down the road, you're making it all worth while for the farmer and supporting their next season.

So what do we do on a crisp Fall day?
WE BAKE! Check out this recipe made with farm fresh apples I got at a gorgeous orchard this weekend!

Whole Grain Apple Muffins

By using whole grain flour, you are adding a whole different nutrient profile to an already delicious baked good! The subtle nuttiness of the flour is a great accent to the apple and cinnamon flavors this recipe is bursting with!  Not to mention, the added vitamins and minerals, plus FIBER! (Told you there was a trend here!)

Prep Time: 10 mins      Cook Time: 15-18 mins.    Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup avocado oil
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups diced apples, fine

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together oil, milk, applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
4. Combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
5. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing in between.  Do not overmix!
6. Fold in the apples.
7. Using an ice cream scoop, put a scoop of batter in each muffin tin.
8. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool before enjoying!

Store muffins in an air tight container at room temperature.