Fuji Apples are a good source of fiber and
vitamin C. Fuji Apples also contain polyphenols, which have numerous health
benefits. Fuji Apples aid weight loss in several ways. Fuji Apples are
particularly filling due to their high fiber content. Fuji Apples promote heart
health in several ways. Fuji Apples are high in soluble fiber, which helps
lower cholesterol. Fuji Apples also have polyphenols, which are linked to lower
blood pressure and stroke risk. Eating Fuji Apples are linked to a lower risk
of type II diabetes. This is possibly due to their polyphenol antioxidant
content. The type of fiber in Fuji Apples feeds good bacteria and may be the
reason they protect against obesity, heart disease, and type II diabetes.
Fuji apples are medium to large. The thick skin
of the Fuji apple is light red with a yellow blush and is oftentimes lined with
red vertical stripes. The Fuji’s interior creamy white flesh is dense, juicy,
and crisp. Low in acid, the flavor is mild yet very sweet with hints of both
honey and citrus.
Fuji apples are available year-round. Fuji
apples (botanical name Malus domestica) are the successful cross of two
American varieties, the Red Delicious and Virginia Ralls Janet. Fuji apples
were first developed in Japan. Some say their name was given to them as the
homage to Japan’s most sacred mountain, Mount Fuji, but it is more likely they
were named after Fujisaki, the location of the research center where they were
developed.
The thick skin and dense flesh of the Fuji apple
hold up extremely well when cooked. Fuji apples can be roasted, baked, sautéed
and boiled down into the sauce. Add slices atop pizza or layer inside a quiche,
or chop and slow cook chunks of Fuji apple to make jams, soups, and compotes.
Their sweet flavor holds up when cooked as well; try added to baked desserts
such as strudels and crisps. This sweet apple pairs well with sharp cheeses,
such as sharp cheddar. Fuji apples store very well under proper cold, dry
conditions.
Fuji apples unite two apple traditions—old
American varieties discovered on farms and homesteads, and the modern way of
breeding new apples at research stations. In fact, Virginia Ralls Janet apples,
one of the Fuji’s parents, was first grown at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
Fuji made the circuitous route from the early United States, to Japan, back to
America, where it is a popular apple today.
Fuji apples were first developed in the 1930s at
the Tohoku Research Station in Morioka, Japan. They quickly became one of the
most commonly grown apple varieties in Japan and in the 1960s were made
commercially available in the United States. Today, the bulk of Fuji apples are
grown in Japan, China, and apple growing regions in the United States such as
California and Washington State. They grow well in warmer climates suitable for
apples.