Is Banana the New Apple?

Baseball has been indicted as no longer being America's favorite pastime. Other sports have moved up in popularity and Baseball playing and attendance has dropped significantly in the last decade. Now, out of the three top runners of American ideals, Baseball, Mom, and Apple Pie, there is another favorite in danger. Apple pie may still be topping the charts on favorite desserts, but is the apple still living up to its reputation of being able to keep the doctor away when consumed daily?

Not laden with pesticides

The easiest way to reduce pesticide intake is to select some organic produce. A study coined the "Dirty Dozen," supported by the USDA makes it easy to select those fruits and veggies that are known to contain higher levels of pesticides even after washing. Apples are at the top of the list. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), who performed the study, stated that the produce at the top of the list should always be purchased organic.

Chiquita claims "quite possibly the world's perfect food."

According to the dietary needs set out by the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) bananas arean excellent source of B6 and a good source of Vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese. Apples are good sources of dietary fiber and Vitamin C, but peeling them eliminates much of the dietary fiber and nutrients. If you are not buying organic apples, they should be peeled.

Hooked on a Peeling

Banana's come prepackaged by nature. The thick yellow peel protects the banana's fruit during shipping and from chemicals or contaminants that it might be exposed to. An apple's peel is thin and fragile. Grocers or farmers coat the apple with a thin layer of wax to give it an extra layer of protection and an aesthetic gloss. Check with your provider to determine if your apples have been waxed with a natural, plant-based wax or a petroleum-based wax.

Harvest

Bananas are available for harvest year round, due to the tropical climates where they are grown. Apples are seasonally harvested and then stored in cold storage or oxygen treated facilities to preserve them. Apples can be found, at varying prices per pound, in the grocery store year round, but are only freshest and most nutritious near harvest time in the fall.

Less than $.49 a pound

Bananas are the obvious cost effective choice for fruit purchasers. Varying from $.19-.49 a pound on average, non-organic bananas are on of the cheapest finds in the grocery store. Apples, on the other hand, especially organic, range from $1.50 at the peak of season upwards of $5.00 a pound.

Baseball, Mom and Apple Pie; let's all hope that Mom doesn't go the way of the others.