There’s nothing quite like the first bite of an apple. There’s the crunch, the sweetness, the juiciness. But enjoy apples goes beyond eating the whole fruit raw. Here are 5 surprising uses for apples – for your body, and even your home.
Sweet snack
Apples wonderfully complement savoury snacks, adding a hint of sweetness and a shot of energy. Whether it’s used to sandwich a dollop of peanut butter, popped into a smoothie, or eaten with a side of nuts, an apple balances salty and savoury foods and adds a healthy twist.
Refresh your face
We love edible face masks. But have you tried apple as a soothing facemask? Simply add some applesauce or juice to oats, honey, or your favorite facial ingredients and pop it on for a relaxing time out.
Keep cakes for longer
This is one very surprising way to use an apple – to keep your cakes fresh for longer. Simply store a cake with half an apple, and you’ll find your baked goods last much longer and retain their moisture.
Ripen fruit
Got an unripe avocado, banana, tomato or other fruit that isn’t ripe enough to eat? Forget being patient; just use an apple instead. How does it work? Because apples emit a gas called ethylene which helps foods ripen faster. Just put the fruits in a paper bag, with an apple, and they’ll ripen right up!
Skip the salt
Uh oh. You made a delicious dish, only to go a little overboard on the salt. But before you bin that lovely casserole or soup, just pop in some apple wedges. After around ten minutes, take the apple out and you’ll find the meal tastes much less salty.
Originally published on Feb 01, 2017
