Apple

One of the first things a child learns is the alphabet, and almost always, "A is for apple." The apple has been around for so long that it can be called the first fruit. Hieroglyphic writings found in the pyramids and tombs of the ancient Egyptians indicate that they used the apple as both a food and a medicine. It not only has been at the beginning of alphabet songs, but has been the center of legends, folklore, and eyen religion, for thousands of years, from Adam and Eve to Johnny Appleseed.

The people of the United States love apples. The state of Wash­ington produces 32,000,000 boxes of apples a ear. Washington's orchards supposedly began from a single tree that was planted in 1827 from a seed given to Captain Simpson of the Hudson Bay Company by a young woman from London. That tree is still standing!

Years ago, apples were used to relieve gout, bilious constitutions, skin eruptions, and nerves. They are so popular around the world that they have all kinds of superstitions and traditions attached to them. The peasants of Westphalia used apples mixed with saffron as a cure for jaundice. There is also a legend in Devonshire, England, that an apple rubbed on a wart will cure it. On Easter morning, peasants in a province of Prussia ate an apple to insure against fever. The Turks gave the apple the power of restoring youth.

There are so many varieties of apples that almost anyone can find an apple to suit his palate. Since there are summer, winter, and fall varieties, apples can be had fresh all year around.

Today, doctors use apple therapy for stubborn cases of diarrhea in patients of all ages, including babies. Raw apple is scraped in very fine slices or used in a specially prepared concentrate. This treatment is often used for what is called the "lazy colon," and is also good for babies who are ready to begin a solid diet. Because so many of the essential vitamins and minerals in apples contain a predigested form of fruit sugar, it is an ideal fruit for infants and invalids.

When you cook apples, be sure to do so over a very low flame. It is best to cook them in a stainless steel utensil, so that the delicate pectin, vitamins, and minerals will be preserved as much as possible. Apples, of course, are best raw and are good in various kinds of salads.

Benefits of Apple

Apples are an alkaline food. They are also an eliminative food, and contain pectin, which has the ability to take up excess water in the Intestines and make a soft bulk that acts as a mild, nonirritating stimulant. This stimulant helps the peristaltic movement and aids in natural bowel elimination.

The iron content of the apple is not high, but it has a property that helps the body absorb the iron in other foods, such as eggs and liver. It does contain a generous amount of calcium, and this calcium aids the system in absorbing the calcium in other foods.

Apples contain 50 percent more vitamin A than oranges. This vitamin helps ward off colds and other infections and promotes growth. It also keeps the eyes in good condition, and prevents night blindness.

Apples have an abundant supply of vitamins. They contain more vitamin G than almost any other fruit. This is called the "appetite vitamin," and promotes digestion and growth. They are rich in vitamin C, which is a body normalizer and is essential in keeping bones and teeth sound. The vitamin that is so important in maintaining nerve health, vitamin B, is also found in apples.

Apples are good for low blood pressure and hardening of the arteries because they are powerful blood purifiers. They also benefit the lymphatic system.

The juice of apples is good for everyone. It can be used in a cleansing arid reducing diet, but speeds up bowel action, and can produce gas if bowels are not moving well. Apple juice or concentrate added to water makes a solution that heals bowel irritation when given as an enema.

Raw apples should be used for homemade apple juice, which should be consumed immediately after preparation. Save the peelings for health tea, which is excellent for the kidneys. This tea is simply made from steeped apple peelings. It is especially tasty when a little honey has been added to it.

Nutrients in one pound