Food Facts

Introduction

Varieties

In order of popularity, the top varieties include:

• McIntosh, a deep red color with a green background.
• Red Delicious, deep red, elongated shaped and five bumps on bottom.
• Empire, dark red, blush with a splash of yellow or green.
• Idared, bright red with greenish-yellow patches.
• Crispin (or Mutsu), greenish-yellow exterior with an orange blush.
• Golden Delicious, yellow or greenish-yellow exterior, elongated shape, five bumps on bottom.
• Spartan, dark red skin.
• Cortland, bright red with yellow cheek.
• Northern Spy, red-striped skin with green color. Northern Spy is the number 1 baking apple.

You can also find Jerseymac, Quinte, Paulared, Golden Russett, Jonagold and a variety of others at farmers' markets and in Pick Your Own orchards.

More than 100 lesser known varieties grow in a "Heritage" orchard at OMAFRA's Vineland Research Station. It serves as a gene pool and source of bud wood.

Nutrition

One medium apple contains about 80 calories and is a good source of fibre and Vitamin C.

History

Apples existed as a wild fruit since prehistoric times and have been cultivated for more than 3,000 years. The ancient Greeks, Etruscans, Romans and Egyptians were among its early cultivators.

During the California Gold Rush apples sometimes fetched more than $100 a bushel because of their versatility, durability and capacity to be preserved by drying.

The apple tree now grows (in thousands of varieties) in almost every corner of the globe from Japan to Madagascar to South Africa, New Zealand, Russia, China, England, France and across much of North America.