Do Cooked Apples Retain Their Superpowers? A Study Reveals All

Apples, long considered a healthy fruit, hold a secret: they contain precious compounds called polyphenols, known for their antioxidant properties. But what happens to these compounds when apples are cooked? And what is the best cooking method to preserve the benefits of apples?

To answer these questions, a study was conducted by the Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences of the Free University of Bozen in collaboration with VOG Products, the leading fruit company. The focus was on one of the company's flagship products: peeled, cored, and sliced apples, a key ingredient in numerous industrial preparations, used in pastries and baked goods. By analyzing this product, the study sought to determine how different cooking methods used in its processing affected the polyphenol content.

The Study

Researchers subjected various varieties of apples, typical of South Tyrol, to different heat treatments: boiling, steaming, frying, baking, and microwaving. They analyzed the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, antioxidant activity, and phenolic profile before and after cooking.

The Results

The results of the study revealed that some cooking methods not only did not reduce the polyphenol content but in some cases even increased it. This means that cooked apples can maintain, and sometimes even enhance, their beneficial properties. In particular, microwaving and boiling proved to be particularly effective cooking methods in preserving polyphenols. The better performance is attributable to the short cooking time and lower exposure to high temperatures compared to other methods.

The study also confirmed that the method used by VOG Products is able to preserve the antioxidant polyphenols in apples.

Conclusions

This discovery has important implications for our diet. Consuming cooked apples, for example in compotes, jams, or desserts, not only allows us to enjoy a different flavor but also allows us to benefit from the beneficial properties of polyphenols.

The study conducted by the Free University of Bozen and VOG Products has shown that cooking apples, if done correctly, not only does not compromise their nutritional value but can actually increase some aspects of it. This result is good news for all those who love apples and want to stay healthy.