Updated March 23, 2024
On December 1, National Eat a Red Apple Day encourages everyone to eat a red apple. As the adage goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and today is a perfect time to put that theory to taste.
- 6500 BC – Archaeologists have found evidence that people have been eating apples since 6,500 B.C.
- 1601 – Johnny Appleseed’s tree-planting quest is first recognized as he arrives on horseback in Ohio.
- 1625 – The first American apple orchard was planted around 1625 by William Blackstone on Boston’s Beacon Hill.
- 1730 – the first apple nursery was opened in Flushing, New York.
- 1860s – The old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is first recorded in the U.S.
- 1875 – The first Red Delicious Apple tree is discovered on Jesse Hiatt’s Iowa farm.
- 1880 – The ‘Ben Davis’ Apple was the reigning king of apples in 1880, due to its ability to handle rough growing conditions and its ability to keep a long time. But it wasn’t considered the best tasting one, and as moving produce from farm to store became easier better tasting was winning out.
- 1930 – The Great Depression calls for communities to feed their teachers, therefore the association between education and a gleaming red apple is established in the U.S.
- 1962 – When John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, blasted off on his initial space flight, he carried with him pureed applesauce in squeezable tubes.
- 1980s – Red Delicious held its position as the most popular apple in the world well into the 1980s when its popularity began to decline.
- 2012 – Medical doctors confirm the health benefits of a red apple, citing its antioxidant-rich skin and its ability to decrease the effects of heart disease.
- An apple is both delicious and nutritious. With over 7,500 varieties of apples and over 7.5% of the world’s production coming from the USA, apples are widely available.
- Green apples beat the red apple slightly in fiber content. They also have less sugar and carbohydrates. However, red apples tend to taste better eaten fresh. They’re already naturally sweet and don’t require added sugar. The red apple slightly edges out the green in antioxidants.
- Washington State is one of the biggest producers of apples, and the red delicious constituted 75% of the state’s production. While it’s shrunk to 1/3rd of that amount since, it’s still a massive part of the world’s production of apples.
- Apples are part of the rose family, just like pears and plums.
- There are more than 8,000 varieties of apples – the largest variety of fruit to exist.
- Life expectancy for an apple tree is about 100 years.
- China is by far the largest apple producer.
- The Apple is popularly known as the supposed forbidden fruit of Eden. But this is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible!
- A medium sized apple contains 80 calories.
- Pomology is the science of apple-growing
- The fear of apples is known as Malusdomesticaphobia
- There are about 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States. About 100 of those are sold commercially. Apples are the second-most valuable fruit grown in the U.S. (oranges being the first).
- Most apples in the world are still picked by hand.
- Americans eat more apples per capita than any other fruit. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average American eats about 16 pounds of fresh apples and 28 pounds of processed apples like juice, cider, or sauce, for a total of about 44 pounds per person per year.
- It takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider.
- After nearly a decade with Red Delicious as the apple darling of the United States, Gala apples are now the nation’s favorite.
- Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie.
- Apple juice was one of the earliest prescribed antidepressants.
- A peck of apples weighs 10.5 pounds.
- A bushel of apples weighs 42 pounds and will yield 20-24 quarts of applesauce.
Sources:
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
[…] family, pomology is the science of growing apples, and there is a real fear of apples called “Malusdomesticaphobia” (per Apple Holler). It’s interesting that Apples From New York discloses that these stemmed […]
[…] family, pomology is the science of growing apples, and there is a real fear of apples called “Malusdomesticaphobia” (per Apple Holler). It’s interesting that Apples From New York discloses that these stemmed […]