It is true that apples are “packed with nutrients,” as reported in An apple a day … (SN 9/25).
But if you’re looking to reap the most nutrients from an apple, most nutrition experts will advise you not to peel. Peeling takes away a significant amount of the health value — two-thirds of the fiber and many of the anti-oxidants, to be exact.
Suggesting that it’s in your best health interest to peel an apple unless it’s organic, as reported in the article, leaves readers unnecessarily alarmed and ill informed.
Innovative work in Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, by MSU researchers over the last 20 years has made fruits and vegetables safer and healthier than ever. IPM uses natural enemies, insect traps and predictive models to obtain the best control methods for our growers.
Perhaps a more relevant question to consider is this: Where did the apple you’re about to eat come from and how many miles did it travel before it got into your hands?
Think about that for a while and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that eating a locally grown apple — with the peel — is the healthiest option of all.
Holly Whetstone
Michigan Apple Committee
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