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The benefits of apples
I’ve been waiting a long time for this episode!
We waited until the fifteenth episode to talk about the apple, the French people’s favorite fruit. A weighty symbolism, from Eve in the Garden of the Hesperides, through the brand of our computers, Isaac Newton and even Snow White.
The apple is the most popular fruit in France, well ahead of the banana and the orange. Approximately 1.7 million tonnes of apples are harvested in France for an average consumption of 20 kg per year per household, with only about 10% organic. 38% of apples harvested in France are exported.
There are said to be more than 400 varieties in France, of which barely twenty are known and appreciated by the French.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away forever, the proverb effectively tells us. The apple is considered one of the best foods in the world: it is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
It thus helps strengthen the body and fight certain diseases of our civilization.
Guest: Daniel Sauvaitre
To be frank and talk apples, we are delighted to welcome Daniel Sauvaitre, whom I knew long ago, in another life working in organic fruits and vegetables.
Daniel is an orchardist and winegrower in the Charentes and Dordogne, as part of a family association with Isabelle, Valérie, Victoria, Philippe and Fabrice. Together, they cultivate 80 hectares of vineyards and 90 hectares of apple orchards, plus some chestnut trees, walnut trees and blueberries.
Daniel also chairs the Eco-Responsible Orchards Association which brings together two thirds of the apple and pear orchards in France. He is also the mayor of his town, Reignac.
Questions
- You are an orchardist; what does that mean? What does it entail? (Drought)
- Can you briefly tell us the history of the apple from the mists of Central Asia?
- Tell us about the symbolism of the apple, between Snow White, Eve, and René Dumont…
- Why are you interested in apples? Why do you grow them?
- What are the current challenges facing the apple industry in France?
- Which varieties are becoming more popular? Which varieties should be better known?
- Which apple tree should you plant in your garden if you don’t know anything about apple trees?
- Is organic production still increasing?
- What are the many nutritional benefits of apples?
- Are there any recent studies on the subject?
- We all know the proverb… How many apples should you eat each day? And at what time?
- Do you have an apple recipe you’d like to share with us?
