Love Apples !. This tasty fruit is available all year round but Autumn is special because it is possible to get apples that have been picked in the last few weeks. Fresh, juicy, tasty, seasonal fruit that has a variety of health benefits. Ayurveda (the science of life from the Indian traditions) recommends Apples for all dosha types.
What is dosha ?. In Ayurveda your body type is classified as with Vata, Pitta or Kapha (or a combination of these). Vata types tend to be slimmer, like to gather information, may have bloating or gas and may find that any aches and pains are variable in the body. Pitta types tend to be more athletic, strong digestion & thirst, may get cross more quickly and may have stronger hotter pains. Kapha types tend to be larger bodies, slow steady digestion and may struggle to get up and moving in colder weather. So, how does this relate to Apples ?.
Raw apples are great for Pitta types as their digestion is strong enough to work on the apple quickly. Kapha types may particularly benefit from the astringent quality of the apples. Vata types may find that raw apples taste great but give them bloating from the gas produced. Ayurveda says that problems with fruits are due to eating them with other items. Ayurveda is clear that fruit should be eaten alone or left alone. There are clear digestive indicators that this holds true today. Bloating is often caused when foods (like fruit) ferment in the intestines causing gas. They ferment when the body is busy dealing with everything else you have eaten with the fruit. Is this true for everyone ? No. Regardless of body type if you have never had an issue with bloating after eating fruit then maybe your body is fine with it. However if you are having issues then what can you do to still get the nutritional benefit from apples without the uncomfortable belly ? You can Cook them lightly and /or spice them lightly
My mum was an old fashioned cook. A product of her post war upbringing she loved making puddings. Her Sunday roasts were always enhanced with traditional English puddings like Apple Pie, Apple and blackberry crumble and Baked apples. She always offered us custard or cream with these. A truly tasty delight. However, the food coma that we all experienced afterwards was partly due to the volume of food and (sadly) due to the addition of the pastry and the custard or cream. Fruit and cream is very tricky digestively. I learnt a lot from her that I never got to thank her for as my own cooking skills came later in life. The apples she cooked in the autumn were the most special. On a Sunday morning we would drive to Wisley RHS gardens to buy fruit from the stalls that used to be set up in the car park. It was quite the event to go for a drive, stop to play in the woods then buy fresh apples before coming home for them to be cooked in the oven. In my mind I can still taste the baked apples with golden syrup & cinnamon. A true taste of Autumn and a lovely memory.