What is it about this simple pomaceous fruit that has caused it to be vilified by some and vaunted by others? Being a member of the Roseaceae family it is the cousin of the humble rose, albeit a better tasting one. This fruit properly known as Malus Domestica has been accused by the theists of being the proffered fruit that caused the fall of man. The mythologists serenaded it as the supreme seraphic gift, it was a neutraceutical panacea by the old world secularists even though they did not know exactly why, and today it is seen as a marvel bordering on the miraculous in its curative abilities by modern scientists.

The apple tree originated in central Asia, where its wild offspring can still be found to this day, from this modest tree we have over 7000 cultivars (cultivated varieties), producing more than 55 million tons a year worldwide, 35% of which comes to us out of China alone. Its ubiquitousness was helped along in no small way by Alexander The Great himself when he brought the fruit back from Asia Minor to Macedonia around 300 BCE. It must be recalled to memory that Aristotle was mentor to the young Alexander, and so in all of Alexander’s travels he would send oddities back to Greece for Aristotle to catalogue and study.

Besides for being depicted as the fruit from the tree of life biblically, apples also feature prominently in the mythologies of many cultures. A point needs to be stressed here though. One of the problems identifying apples in religeon, mythology and folktales is that the word "apple" was used as a generic term for all (foreign) fruit, as late as the 17th century

In Norse Mythology, It was apples that gave the gods their eternal youthfulness when they were supplied them by the goddess IounnI. Apples are also linked to religious practices in Germani Paganism, from which Norse Paganismin fact developed. Buckets of apples were found in the Oseburg ship burial site in Norway. They have also been found in the early graves of the Germanic Peoples in England and elsewhere on the continent. Apples were also seen as symbols of fecundity and were often given out to ensure Fertility. Eleven "golden apples" were given to woo the beautiful Geror by Skirnir.The birth of the Norse Hero Volsung was due to an apple sent by the Goddess Frigg to King Rerir in answer to his prayers to Odin for a child. Apples were also thought of as the food of the dead as referenced by the "strange" phrase "Apples of Hell" used in an 11th-century poem by the Skald Thorbiorn Brúnarson. 

 What better advertisement could one want for the health benefits of apples than the great Greek Alpha male himself Hercules or as they called him “ Heracles” . One of his Twelve deeds was to go and pick the golden apples off the tree of life in the garden of Hesperides. And who would have believed that the whole Trojan war was centred on the consequences of Paris giving the magical apple of Eris (Goddess of discord) to Aphrodite after being bribed by her with the most Beautiful woman in the world Helen ...and in so doing incurring the wrath of Hera and Athena who also coveted it. Ultimately causing the epic Trojan war.

Here is an interesting reversal, wherein it is a woman “Atlanta” who is led from her path by apples given to her by a man “Melanion” Because she was such a fast runner she would race all her suitors in an attempt to avoid marriage. She outran all but Melanion, a name possibly derived from melon the Greek word for both "apple" and fruit in general who defeated her by cunning, not speed. He used three golden apples (gifts of Aphrodite, the goddess of love) to distract Atlanta. In so doing winning the race and her hand.

 Thanks to the story of Adam and Eve, the apple became a symbol for knowledge, immortality, temptation, the fall of man into sin, and sin itself. In Latin, the words for "apple" and for "Evil" are similar in the singular (malus—apple, malum—evil) and identical in the plural (mala). This may also have influenced the apple becoming interpreted as the Biblical "forbidden fruit". The Larynx in the human throat has been called Adam's Apple because of a notion that it was caused by the forbidden fruit sticking in the throat of Adam.

Apples are featuring more and more as fantastic neutraceuticals and gateways to new modern medical techniques as they are packed with so many vital life sustaining chemicals.Their fibre content, though not the highest , has been shown to help regulate bowl movement and as such assist in preventing Colon cancer, heart disease and assist in weight loss.

A word of caution though..try not to eat the seeds as they contain amygdaline which is a Cyanogenic Glycoside…yep its part of the Cyanide family…oh by the way that compound is also found in your finger nails…so stop chewing them!!!

 Thanks to Marc Gitzinger from the research group of Martin Fussenegger, Professor of Biotechnology and Bioengineering Science in the Department of Biosystems (D-BSSE) in Basle we now have a prototype for gene therapy through the skin. It was from his work on phloretin, an antioxidant found in apples and commercially used in cosmetics as an anti-wrinkle agent that some amazing breakthroughs were made.

In essence It a method of administration whereby the capsule containing a certain gene is implanted under the skin.

The apple derivative skin cream is applied and it is the effect of the phlerotin that breaks down the cell walls on the capsule and releases a specific dose of the gene to the area that requires ..Think about what this means for insulin users , who will probably only need on implant in a year..or five, and every time they apply the cream they get their dose..

Another important element in having treatments like this through the skin is that it by-passes the gastro intestinal tract, and more overly the liver which as the bodies detoxifying organ, destroys most of the active ingredients, if not suffering damage itself in the process.

Journal reference:

1. Gitzinger M, Kemmer C, El-Baba MD, Weber W, Fussenegger M. Controlling Transgene Expression in Subcutaneous Implants Using a Skin Lotion Containing the Apple Metabolite Phloretin. PNAS, 22 June 2009 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0901501106

Dr Mandy  Walker leader of the CSIRO plant industry research team, tells us that it is because of Anthocyanins. They are also found in flowers, and are responsible for giving them their colour.

Dr Adam Takos, Has been using the latest molecular technology to measure how much particular genes were activated, or expressed, in apple skin as the fruit ripened and coloured. Through his work on identifying master genes that were activated by light, Adam was able to pinpoint the gene that controls the formation of anthocyanins in apples. What this means is that they can now make apples look any colour they want, the reds redder , the greens greener, heck we may even have blue and pink apples soon, for the kids who don’t like them in their drab regalia.

Whatever their colour or shape, as long as their taste doesn’t change, I will be keeping them on my grocery list.