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Monday, December 5, 2011

I'm going to eat an apple today

I'm trying to talk myself into liking apples. Last week, we had a nutritionist come into work to give us some tips on holiday eating and weight control. As part of her presentation, she briefly mentioned apples as a good option, extolling their many virtues in an effort to get us to eat those instead of fudge. It's not like this was news to me exactly. I mean, I grew up hearing, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," though to be honest, an apple a day seems like overkill. I mean really, every day!?

I am not a picky eater. There are very few foods I won't eat, and I love apples in things - apple pie, apple sauce, apple.... (gosh it's hard to think of things with apples in them). They're fine when combined. But a straight apple? Something about the tartness, or the way you just have to bite into it like a savage beast, ripping it apart and tearing the fruit from the core with a loud crunch, juices dripping down your chin.

Maybe I'm eating them wrong.

But anyway, I don't know if it's for me. That being said, I'm going to try, in the spirit of healthy changes. However, it's going to require some mental planning before I can dive into it. I packed an apple for a snack today, and I've found myself thinking things like:

"You're going to eat an apple today. It's going to be different, but not in a bad way. I know it's tart, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. You'll feel full afterward and that's good. You ate one yesterday and you kind of enjoyed it. Just stop worrying about it, it's going to be fine. You're going to eat an apple today."

I think my apple aversion goes back to when I was six years old and lost a tooth in an apple. You guys, that's how strong apples are. They can rip teeth right out of your mouth! I'm going to add that to the "con" list. So far I have:


Pros:
High in fiber
Filling
Packed with vitamins and other good stuff

Cons:
Rip teeth out
Juices spill down chin
Tart
Must be eaten like a savage (unless sliced, which is too much work and I could cut my finger off)

Hmmm.... Is it worth it? I can't decide which column wins. I better just stick with my mantra, "I'm going to eat an apple today. I'm going to eat an apple today."

Update: I ate an apple today.

14 comments:

violet50 said...

I eat mine with low-fat caramel and, yes, I do slice them before dipping them in the caramel. There are many varieties of apples and at least one - Delicious -is not tart. I think the picture you put with your post is the real reason you have an aversion to apples, not the lost tooth. Because, admit it, you got money from the tooth fairy for that minor trauma. Remember, Snow White was brought back from the dead by her prince. So all's well that ends well.

Jesse Davis said...

I take issue with your Pro/Con list.

Apples are not filling. At all. They are quite the opposite. If eaten on an empty stomach, they make me even hungrier. And that's a bad thing.

Also, if the apple is too big, it causes my gastrointestinal distress.

Cons? Rips teeth out? Dentures?
Juices spill down chin... What apples are you eating??
Tart. What apples are you eating??
Must be eaten like a savage? That's a pro!

Claire said...

Buy one of these- it will change your life!

Seriously, I really like apples, but I HATE eating them outside of my house, because they really do drip all over your face and you get all sticky... but this way, it's cut into slices and cored and you don't get sticky at all!

PLUS I saw this thing on pinterest where you keep the apple together with a rubber band after you core it like this, and it keeps it from going brown. GENIUS.

Finally... if you don't like the taste by itself, and you're trying to be healthy, you can buy low fat peanut butter and dip the slices in. It's high in protein! Yaaay. And I think you can even find it in individual dipping cups for your dipping convenience.

Claire said...

oh, I forgot the link. Oops.

http://www.amazon.com/Calphalon-Easy-Grip-Apple-Slicer/dp/B000SOAT0Y/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1323098832&sr=8-8

Last bit of advice- try different apple...brands? types? I forgot the word. I get bored with the generic gala apple, and there might be some you find less tart.

E McL said...

The firmer the better. Nothing worse than a pithy apple. Red delicious, delicious, but I don't like a thick skin. Green crisp, but too tart. Gala, Honey Crisp, Jonagold, Pink Ladies, Braeburn great but eat quick and refrigerate to keep crisp.

Sliced is the only way to go. We have a meal Jim calls picnic, crackers and cheese and apples. Prep while you eat, feels like an adventure.

"Apple pickles; mighty tasty
Apple butter, apple past’y
Apple dumplin’s! How’d you like some applesa’ce?" Disney's Johnny Appleseed.

Elizabeth Downie said...

Thanks for the tips! I think I'll get some caramel dip and honeycrisps. They're less tart. Even though they're still apples. ;) And that apple slicer looks awesome! Thanks!

Jesse (Maxabillion): I enjoyed your complaints. BUT, apples ARE tart, and if you say they aren't, then you, my friend, have a serious taste bud deficiency.

Ben said...

I must say, I attribute much of my recent weight loss to apples and their sweet crunchy goodness. I personally like Fuji, Pink Lady, and Joagold apples because they aren't too tart/sweet. I find golden delicious is also not too tart, but Honeycrisp are too tart for me.

I live in Washington State, so obviously you should take my apple advice.

Katherine said...

I agree about Honeycrisps and cutting them up and eating with caramel or peanut butter. That's how I eat mine! I don't like eating them whole much, either, so I usually slice them up and put a little lemon juice on them to keep them from going brown. I've been eating a lot more apples lately and love 'em!

Nate Stamper said...

My teeth are stronger than most apples...

Nate Stamper said...

Oh, and one more thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CFQffG5QpI

Elizabeth Downie said...

Nate, that video was one of the strangest things I've ever seen! I loved it!! But I'm also confused by it.... on many levels.

Otilia said...

i always slice my apples. i was reading random books and then i found out a really strange fact. about apples
1. they will keep you awake in the morning more than a cup of coffee.
sometimes i put some lemon juice into my apples. it keeps it from going brown and it gives it more flavor. there are a lot of other fruits that are good for you not only just apples... please check out my blog when you have the time.
http://a-day-in-the-life-of-luma.blogspot.com/

Kathy said...

All I have to say is that it is SO great to hear that there are others who feel the same way about apples! People always look at me like I'm some kind of monster when I tell them I don't really like apples. But I have also read the benefits, and force myself to eat them with peanut butter.

Melanie Carbine said...

Juice dripping down your chin...it's like you're talking about oranges.

Watch this: http://video.pbs.org/video/1283872815. It'll help you appreciate apples.