The Best Apples for Every Health Goal—Weight Loss, Gut Health, Anti-Aging and More
Want to boost fiber, lower sugar or lose weight? There’s an apple for that
Sure, all apples are good for you. After all, an apple a day keeps the you-know-who away. But different varieties boast specific benefits and strengths, aside from their taste. So we scoped out the wide world of apple varieties and consulted experts on how to carefully choose the right ones to achieve your health goals. Get ready for a bushel of benefits by reading our roundup of the best apples to eat.
Best apple to steady blood sugar: Granny Smith
If you have diabetes or struggle to balance blood sugar, it’s likely you’re following a low glycemic index (GI) diet, made up of foods that don’t spike blood sugar. Naturally low GI foods have an index score of under 55. While most apples tend to be low, there is some variation in their sugar content. Apple varieties can range from a glycemic index score of 28 to 44.
Woman's World Answers
So to keep sugar down, aim for tart varieties, which tend to have a lighter color. “Green apples are my favorite type of apple because they have the least amount of sugar so I can indulge,” says Fred Pescatore, MD, author of The Hamptons Diet. “A Granny Smith is my guilt-free go-to.”
Nutrition expert Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, agrees. “Granny Smiths are the lowest in sugar—about 9 to 10 grams per medium apple. They are tart, crisp and excellent for blood sugar control.”
Dr. Pescatore explains that modern apple hybridization is slowly changing the health properties of apples to make them hyper-palatable or sweet like candy. “My biggest concern is how the new red apples that are being bred to be the sweetest seem to be all the rage.” He adds, “If you must choose a red variety, I like the old standard, a good McIntosh.”
Best apple to boost fiber: Honeycrisp
Women are seriously deficient in fiber, a nutrient linked to endless positive downstream health benefits. Amy Shah, MD, says, “This is how I always think about fiber: It’s not just ‘nice to have.’ The little organisms—friendly microbes—living inside of your gut literally need fiber to survive every day. So it’s a must have!”
Apples are an easy and delicious way to help you reach your fiber goals. And every gram counts. So for fiber intake, Gittleman recommends thick-skinned options like large Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples, which can both hold 4+ grams of fiber. In comparison, a Golden Delicious has just 2 grams and Gala apples have around 2.8 grams. Just remember, if you peel off the skin, you lose a lot of that valuable fiber.
Best apple for anti-aging: Red Delicious
Again, the fruit’s skin matters. We know that darker, more vividly pigmented fruits and veggies tend to hold more powerful antioxidants and properties that can work to repair cellular damage in the body to ward off premature signs of aging. “Most of an apple’s antioxidants and polyphenols are in the skin,” confirms Gittleman.
So choose a dark-hued apple variety like Red Delicious. (Although the comedian and serious apple connoisseur Brian Frange, who runs the popular AppleRankings.com database, describes Red Delicious as “coffee grounds in a leather glove.”) Gittleman adds, “For overall balance of sweetness and antioxidants, I like Braeburn or Fuji.”
Best apple for weight loss: Granny Smith
The AppleRankings database names the green Granny Smith apple one of the top “sour apples.” And even though this “mouth puckering” variety “inspired its own candy flavor” it has been a go-to favorite of health nuts for decades.
Case in point: Holistic nutrition expert JJ Virgin recommends Granny Smith apples in her weight-loss juice and smoothie recipes. Why? Tart apples can help reset people’s taste buds, so they crave fewer sweet foods—the same binge-worthy fare that often derails our weight-loss goals.
While dieters understandably steer clear of high fructose corn syrup, they don’t have to fear the natural fructose found in apples, since it is encased in fiber. “I am not worried about you eating an apple,” she says in her book The Virgin Diet. “I am very pro-apple, pro-berry.”
Still need an apple to safely satisfy a sweet tooth? “Try a Fuji apple,” says Gittleman, naming the popular apple from Japan, where people tend to be health-conscious and effortlessly slim. “They are sweeter in taste, but surprisingly moderate on the glycemic scale with a score around 38.”
Best apple for gut health: McIntosh
The soluble fiber found in apples contains pectin, which has a positive prebiotic effect on our gut health. Pectin resists digestion so it can be fermented inside the body to feed our good gut bugs. This process creates short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) known to be beneficial to digestive health. SCFA are even believed to play a role in guarding against colon cancer.
Here, consider ripeness. Apples tend to have the most protective pectin when they are slightly underripe. Look for varieties like McIntosh, Cortland or Rome. (AppleRankings irreverently calls Cortland apples a “damp hacky sack.”)
In addition, many gut-health conversations these days include mention of apple cider vinegar. But if you’re interested in its cousin—regular cider, we have good news. Any apple can be used to make drinking cider. And AppleRankings deems the GoldRush variety the number one cider apple, calling it a “goldmine of flavor.”
Best apple to inspire healthy eating: Envy
“Americans are in what’s being called a fruit and veggie crisis, since consumption has dropped 10 percent in recent years,” says Ashley Hawk, RD, author of How Healthy Happens. But scent plays a role in our food choices. In one study, people who walked into a restaurant and smelled fruit were more likely to order produce-rich meals than those who didn’t encounter the scent.
So when it comes to apples, consider their aroma. Envy apples have been described as the most “fragrant.” Bonus: They have a low oxidation rate, so they won’t brown easily, making healthy eating more appealing.
To amplify these aromatic powers, try baking apples. (You can enjoy them with Greek yogurt and cinnamon to create a super healthy dessert.) The Rome apple has been named the “number one baking apple.” (Or learn how to bake with applesauce in place of sugar here.)
How to buy the best apples (organic vs. conventional)
Ultimately, which apple variety you choose comes down to personal preference. But regardless of the type, consider these extra factors.
Choose organic when you can
“Apples consistently rank near the top of the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list because of high pesticide residues,” Gittleman says. “Choosing organic—or at least local apples you can ask farmers about directly—means fewer chemical exposures.”
Beware of coatings and sprays
According to the EWG, “three out of five non-organic apples have residues of a toxic chemical sprayed after harvest.” And some apples are coated with a chemical-based barrier, which is marketed to extend their shelf life, says Gittleman. To help dodge these additives, look for apples that wear an organic certification.
Wash thoroughly
“Organic or not, it’s best to give apples a good wash with a baking soda and water soak to remove any residues,” says Gittleman.
Pair apples properly to boost benefits
Lastly, Gittleman adds, “Instead of eating an apple alone, pair it with protein or healthy fat: nut butter, a slice of cheese or a handful of nuts. This slows digestion, minimizes blood sugar spikes and makes the snack more satisfying.”
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