Lao Voices

Fuji Apple photo by Scott Bauer

One of my favorite apples is the Fuji apple.  According to Wikipedia, Fuji apple is an apple cultivar developed by growers at the Tohoku Research Station in Fujisaki, Aomori, Japan in the late 1930s and brought to market in 1962. It is a cross between two American apple varieties, the Red Delicious and old Virginia Ralls Genet (sometimes cited as “Rawls Jennet”) apples. It is named after “FUJIsaki” Aomori Prefecture and often thought to be named after Mt.Fuji.

Fuji apples are typically large or very large and round, on average the size of a baseball. They contain between 9-11% sugars by weight and have a dense flesh that is sweeter and crispier than many other apple varieties, making them popular with consumers around the world. Fuji apples also have a very long shelf life compared to other apples, even without refrigeration. With refrigeration, Fuji apples can last up to 5-6 months.

Apple Treat photo by TruShu

September made me think of the Apple Festival, we have several in our area, and we’ve one in a nearby town this weekend that I hope to visit.  The Apple Festival is held on  Main Street, and it appears that most small towns in the United States have Main Street.  What I like best about the festival is of course the apple, and these apples are grown locally, so the most widely-grown apples here are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty and Galas, but sadly no Fuji apple.  I also like to walk around, it’s nice and cool in September, but last year was a bit hot, so I’m hoping that it’d be better this year, as the weather was cooler the last couple of days.  The street fair of arts and crafts vendors are what I like to visit most, there’s also continuous live musical entertainment that’s fun to watch. Updated photos on Sept. 25, 2008, Click here to see more photos of the Apple Festival.

I often wondered about the story of Johnny Appleseed, wondering if it‘s real and surprised to find that he is, according to a little history of Apple FAQ: An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

No apple history would be complete without a mention of America’s beloved Johnny Appleseed. As the tale goes, he loved apples so much that he decided to travel the country barefoot in his overalls with his pockets filled with apple seeds and another bag of apple seeds slung over his shoulder. The legend says that as he traveled the countryside, he tossed these seeds randomly to create a country filled with apple trees. Johnny Appleseed truly did exist. His real name was John Chapman, born in Massachusetts in 1774. He did indeed love apples, learned about their cultivation, and started many apple nurseries that stretched from the Allegheny River in the East as far west as Ohio. His dedication to apple cultivation earned him his legendary nickname, Johnny Appleseed.

Health Benefits
Easy on the digestion, apples contain malic and tartaric acids that inhibit fermentation in the intestines. Their high fiber content adds bulk that aids the digestive process, making elimination natural and comfortable. Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.

Apples contain flavonoids, antioxidants that improve immune function and prevent heart disease and some cancers.

Green apples act as a liver and gall bladder cleanser and may aid in softening gallstones.

Because of their high water content, apples are cooling and moistening and aid in reducing fever. Simply grate them and serve them to feverish patients. Steamed apples sweetened with honey are beneficial for a dry cough and may help to remove mucous from the lungs.

Hippocrates (circa 400 BCE), the Greek physician considered the father of medicine, was a proponent of nutritional healing. His favorite remedies were apples, dates, and barley mush.

Today medical practitioners are beginning to recognize that the apple’s abundant quantity of pectin is an aid in reducing high cholesterol as well as blood sugar, a wonder food for people with coronary artery disease and diabetes.

If these aren’t enough reasons to “eat an apple a day,” there’s more. Eating raw apples gives the gums a healthy massage and cleans the teeth. This popular fruit is said to have properties that are a muscle tonic, diuretic, laxative, antidiarrheal, antirheumatic, and stomachic.

Nutritional Benefits
Unpeeled apples provide their most plentiful nutrients just under the skin. Apples are a good source of potassium, folic acid, and vitamin C.

A medium apple, approximately 5 ounces, has only 81 calories and a whopping 3.7 grams of fiber from pectin, a soluble fiber. A medium apple supplies 159 mg of potassium, 3.9 mcg of folic acid, 7.9 mg of vitamin C, and 9.6 mg of calcium.

Additionally, there are trace amounts of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc

So an apple a day might just keep the doctor away, and in my case, since I don’t like to visit my doctor, I often have two apples per day.