How many calories in an apple?

It is perhaps the most familiar and widely-available fruit, yet the apple is a food storehouse serving up many dietary benefits. In common with other fruits, it has some carbohydrate calories, but along with them come a large number of nutrients which sees apples counting as a vital constituent of a healthy diet. Based on these properties, we find it one of the greatest of whole foods.

Composed mainly of carbs (though containing no protein), apples are high in antioxidants, which are known in medical circles to reduce the risk of various cancers and related diseases, and also in fiber, which ensures good functioning of the digestive system and in addition guards against colon cancer.

Be sure to eat the skin, as many of the fruit's nutrients - which your body really doesn't want to lose - are held in it.

Fresh green and red - and certainly delicious - examples are a source of Vitamin A, which is important for healthy bones, teeth, skin and eyes, and Vitamin C, which aids the immune system and helps your heart, eyes and blood pressure levels.

There are small amounts of calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium - all required for strong bones and efficient nervous and muscle systems. However, there are significant amounts of malic acid, which is also good for the nervous system and muscles - as well as imparting the slightly tart flavor.

In contrast with some other fruits, however, there's no sodium or protein in an apple, but this is no great loss, as protein and particularly sodium are very likely to be present in abundance in many other foods in one's diet.

The calories come mainly from carbohydrates, which are of course also an important part of your total daily food intake. The quantity of carbs you need depends on values such as your age and body weight.

The number of calories in an apple is dependent of course on its size and weight. In a medium example about three inches in diameter and weighing an average of about 160 grams, there are usually fewer than 100 - typically around 95. And of course the majority are small to medium size and equate to one serving.

Certain nutritionists take the relatively recent view that these calories are negligible, based on the premise that many of them will be used up in the process of eating and digesting the fruit. Even if you are aiming to lose weight on a calorie-controlled diet, these calories are worthwhile due to the excellent nutritional benefits which come as part of the package.

In any case, a relatively low calorie count like this only becomes an off-the-chart problem if you eat too many apples at one go, so to limit your intake of calories keep your intake to just one a day.

Here we have one of the genuine health foods naturally provided for us. It may be eaten fresh or used in a pie or fruit salad, for example.

And the juice?
To answer the question many have regarding the value of drinking the juice: apple juice suffers from the loss of much of the nutrient content described above, and without a corresponding reduction in energy. Eating the whole fruit keeps the full quota of vitamins, fiber and the other nutrition which it contains - a recipe for health.