NC Apple Crunch Day October Wednesday, October 22, 2025 ! NC Crunch Day is a day when we celebrate tasty nutritious apples! Schools, child care centers, and other organizations will have activities where students, staff, and employees, statewide will crunch and munch on delicious apples! The apples you enjoy may come from your farmers market, local grocer, or you may pick your own. Whichever you prefer or can access, apples are a sure bet for a filling healthy treat.

While it is estimated that between 5,000 to 20,000 varieties of apples existed from ancient times until now, did you know that apples were first brought to North Carolina in the 1700’s by the early settlers ? According to the NC Apple Association, the first European settlers to Henderson county set the trees out there in the Fruitland area. Today, Henderson County remains one of the state’s largest apple producers. As a whole North Carolina ranks 7^th in the nation in apple production, with over 300 commercial operations and more than 14,000 acres of apple bearing orchards, according to data from the NC Apple Association.

There are four major varieties that make up the majority of North Carolina’s production, these are: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty and Stayman. There are more than 40 other varieties are grown on a limited basis. The state also offers new cosmopolitan varieties such as Empire, Fuji, Gala, Gold, Jonagold and Mutzu. If you like antique varieties such as Arkansas Black, Grimes, Limber Twig, Wolf River, Cortland, Hoover and Jonathan, you can find these still sold at roadside stands across the state.

Apples may be eaten in many ways. It can be eaten raw, baked, fried, dried, as a sauce, or you may drink it as a juice, cider, or vinegar. It is a very versatile fruit! According to researchers, the uses today are similar to the uses since ancient times.

You may ask yourself, does the color of the apple impact the nutrients? First and foremost, apples are a healthy food regardless of the color, however, research has shown some variance in the nutrients based on the color of the apple. Red apples have proven to have more of a pigment called anthocyanin, which may provide heart-healthy and cholesterol-lowering benefits. A good example is the common Red Delicious apple which contains nearly five times as much anthocyanins as Granny Smiths. Research shows that Red Delicious apples also have slightly more fiber, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin K. On the other hand, Granny Smith apples have been shown to contain slightly more vitamin A. Both types of apples are excellent choices for increasing antioxidants and other nutrients to your diet.

What about dried apples, are they still healthy? Absolutely! Apples are loaded with fiber, even when dried. This fiber has been found to reduce cholesterol levels, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. When selecting dried apples or other fruits, select those that are “unsweetened” and do not contain many preservatives for the healthiest choice.

One medium apple is considered a serving size. Did you know a serving of raw apple with peel contains the following percentages of the Daily Recommended Value (DV), 125 calories, 30 g carbohydrate (10% DV), 4.9 g dietary fiber (20% DV)­, 22 g sugars, 0.6 g protein (1% DV), .053 mg riboflavin (3%DV), 116.6 IU vitamin A (2% DV), .072 mg vitamin B6 (4% DV), .51 mg vitamin E (2% DV),  5.5 ug vitamin K (7% DV), 10.6 mg magnesium (3% DV), 25.44 mg phosphorus (3% DV), 220.48 mg potassium (5% DV) ?

The nutrients found in apples have been found to have good effects on blood sugar, inflammation, lowering “bad” cholesterol, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, and the antioxidants may protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The fiber in apples may also bolster the trillions of microorganisms and genetic  material that live in your gut known as the microbiome.

If you would like to learn more about NC Crunch Day to host your own event, please go to this link:  https://growing-minds.org/north-carolina-crunch/   To learn more about cooking and preparing apples or planting your own apple trees, contact N.C. Cooperative Extension-Richmond County Center, located at 123 Caroline Street, Rockingham, NC or call 910-997-8255.

The Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office helps provide research-based education and technology to the producers and citizens of this great county. Visit our website at richmond.ces.ncsu.edu