Red, yellow, or green? These apples are the healthiest

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Do you prefer sweet red or tart green? When it comes to apples, it’s not just the taste that matters. When it comes to nutrients, color is important.

Apples are one of the most popular fruits among Austrians: according to Statistics Austria, each of us consumes an average of 16.5 kilograms of apples per year. The most popular varieties are Gala and Golden Delicious. But did you know that not all apples are the same and that color has an influence on nutrients?

Although all apples are green at first, they take on different colors during the ripening process, depending on the variety. If the temperature differences between day and night are relatively high during ripening, certain varieties become particularly red.

Although apples consist of 85 percent water, they contain around 30 vitamins and trace elements as well as 150 plant substances. This makes these local fruits a true superfood. However, most nutrients are found in red apples: for example, the popular Braeburn apples have up to 35 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams. A green Granny Smith has only a third of that.

In addition, red apples contain significantly more anthocyanins than green apples. This substance is particularly healthy for the blood vessels and binds free radicals, which are produced during oxidative stress and cause our cells to age prematurely. Good to know: Anthocyanins are also found in other intensely colored fruits and vegetables, such as cherries, blueberries, blue grapes, and red cabbage.

Polyphenols are also particularly abundant in red apples. The benefits: these secondary plant compounds lower blood pressure and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The more bitter an apple tastes, the more polyphenols it contains. Traditional apple varieties such as Jonagold and Braeburn, which all have orange-red skin, are particularly rich in polyphenols.

As a general rule, whether red, yellow, or green, old apple varieties have more vitamins and other nutrients to offer than modern varieties. These include Cox Orange, Boskoop, and Gravensteiner, for example. So-called “designer varieties” such as Golden Delicious or Pink Lady may look delicious, but from a nutritional point of view, they are little more than sweet water.