Is Applesauce Healthy?

 Applesauce is made from whole apples and only a few other basic ingredients, so it offers many of the same health benefits as apples.

Similarly to whole apples, plain applesauce is low in calories, fat, and salt.

It contains some carbs and natural sugar, as well as small amounts of vitamins and minerals, including copper, B vitamins, and vitamins C and E.

However, its content of other nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, depends on a few key factors.

These include:

  • the variety of apples used
  • how the apples were processed
  • the cooking temperature
  • whether the peel was included in the sauce

On average, a 1/2-cup (122-gram) serving of unsweetened applesauce contains:

  • Calories: 51
  • Protein: 0.2 grams
  • Fat: 0.1 grams
  • Carbs: 13.7 grams
  • Fiber: 1.3 grams
  • Sugar: 11.5 grams
  • Sodium: less than 1% of the Daily Value (DV)
  • Copper: 4% of the DV
  • Iron: 2% of the DV
  • Folate: 1% of the DV
  • Potassium: 2% of the DV
  • Magnesium: 1% of the DV
  • Thiamine: 3% of the DV
  • Riboflavin: 2% of the DV
  • Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV
  • Vitamin C: 1% of the DV
  • Vitamin E: 1% of the DV

Many commercial applesauces are sweetened with added sugars that may lower the nutritional value of the applesauce.

Added sugars not only increase the sugar content of applesauce but also add more calories.

In fact, sweetened applesauce may contain up to 15 more grams of sugar and 60 more calories per serving than unsweetened varieties.

Applesauce that has been sweetened may be more than two times higher in calories and sugar.

It’s important to note that eating fruit alone does not increase your risk of chronic disease. Rather, consuming too much added sugar may lead to health issues.

Homemade applesauce

Makes eight 1/2-cup (122-gram) servings.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of apples
  • 3/4 cup (177 mL) of water
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) of lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp (1.2 grams) of ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

  1. Rinse the apples and remove any stickers.
  2. Core, peel, and quarter the apples.
  3. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to a light boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10–20 minutes.
  5. Remove the mixture from the heat once the apples are soft and cooked through.
  6. Allow to cool to room temperature and then process the mixture into a purée using the tool of your choice. Consider a fork, food mill, potato masher, food processor, stand blender, or immersion blender.


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