Time again for that seasonal juicy crunch. The wholesome freshness of newly picked local apples bursting with nature's nectar is only an arm's reach away. While picking apples has been a tradition in New Hampshire for decades, our own local orchards have added new varieties mixed in with old favorites to keep the experience fresh and new.
Pick apples with a friend, stroll through a swollen orchard, and renew a relationship forgotten since the snow melted. Pick apples alone, enjoy the solitude, and reflect on life's ups and downs. Pick apples with a young family and enjoy the squeals and giggles of children finding that special one. Pick apples with a senior and consider the circle of life. Pick apples with a teenager and listen to his or her fears and concerns about growing up.
With picking being half the fun, eating is the other half. Once picked, just eat 'em like they are, with the skins still on. Because an apple a day really does keep the doctor away. Apples are known to contain antioxidants that improve the immune system and prevent heart disease and some cancers. Green apples can act as a liver and gall bladder cleanser and may even assist in softening gallstones. An apple's large quantity of pectin helps to reduce cholesterol as well as blood sugar, a "super food" for people with coronary artery disease and sugar diabetes. While being a good source of potassium, folic acid, and vitamin C, a 5-ounce apple has only 81 lonely calories.
Crunch.
Tom Dolan is a longtime Londonderry resident and former town councilor. E-mail your thoughts on his column to editor@derrynews.com or mail them to: Derry News, Box 307, Derry, N.H., 03038-4510.
