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By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Updated 4 November 2026

Apples (Malus domestica) are the fruit of the apple tree and one of the most familiar fruits in Europe. A medium apple with its skin (182 g) gives about 95 kcal, 25 g of carbohydrate and 4.4 g of fibre, mostly water and natural sugars with very little fat or protein. Raw apples have one of the lowest glycemic index values among common fruits, 36, and the skin holds most of the apple’s polyphenols, plant compounds such as quercetin. Eating the whole fruit, peel included, gives you more than apple juice does.

Apple nutrition per 100 g and per medium apple

Nutritif	Per 100 g, with skin	Medium apple, 182 g
Énergie	52 kcal	95 kcal
Eau	85.6 g	156 g
Protéine	0.3 g	0.5 g
Fat	0.2 g	0.3 g
Carbohydrate	13.8 g	25.1 g
of which sugars	10.4 g	18.9 g
Fibre	2.4 g	4.4 g
Potassium	107 mg	195 mg
Vitamine C	4.6 mg	8.4 mg
Vitamine K	2.2 µg	4.0 µg
Vitamine E	0.18 mg	0.33 mg

Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, “Apples, raw, with skin”, FDC ID 171688, checked 4 November 2026. USDA gives 182 g for a medium apple (about 7.5 cm across), 149 g for a small one and 223 g for a large one; the medium column is calculated from the 100 g values. In USDA data the carbohydrate figure includes fibre. Values rounded.

On paper apples look modest: they are not rich in any single vitamin or mineral. Their value lies in the combination of water, fibre and polyphenols at a low energy cost, which is why they work so well as an everyday snack.

Glycemic index

In the international GI tables (Atkinson 2008), raw apple has a glycemic index of 36 ± 2 (glucose = 100), which is low. Apple juice is 41 ± 2, still low, but a glass of juice has lost most of the fibre and is much easier to drink in quantity than whole apples are to eat. For comparison, raw banana is 51 and orange 43. See What is the glycemic index (with table).

Health benefits: what the evidence says

• Fibre. A medium apple with skin gives about 4.4 g of fibre. EFSA considers 25 g a day adequate for normal bowel function in adults, so one apple covers around a sixth of it.
• Polyphenols in the peel. Apples contain quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid. A review in Nutrition Journal (Boyer and Liu 2004) reports that apple peel has two to six times more phenolic compounds than the flesh, depending on the variety, and that quercetin compounds are found only in the peel. Peeling an apple therefore removes a large share of these compounds.
• Heart health and lungs (observational). The same review summarises cohort studies in which people who ate apples had lower rates of cardiovascular disease, for example a 13-22% lower risk in the US Women’s Health Study, as well as lower asthma risk and better lung function in several European studies. These are associations, not proof that apples cause the effect: apple eaters may also differ in other habits.
• Type 2 diabetes risk. In three large US cohorts with over 187,000 people, every three servings a week of apples and pears was associated with about 7% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, while fruit juice was associated with about 8% higher risk (Muraki 2013). Again, this is an observational finding.
• Low energy density. With 52 kcal per 100 g and 86% water, a whole apple is a filling snack for very few calories, which makes it useful in meals for weight loss.

Ayurveda: apples in the traditional system

In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines the advice depends on the type and on how the apple is eaten. For Vata, raw apples are to be avoided, while cooked apples are favourable. For Pitta, sweet apples are favourable and sour ones are best avoided. For Kapha, apples are favourable. A warm baked or stewed apple with cinnamon is the typical Ayurvedic way to serve apples to Vata types. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding.

How to use apples

• Eat the skin: wash apples well under running water and eat them unpeeled to keep the fibre and polyphenols.
• Petit-déjeuner: grate an apple into porridge or overnight oats avec cinnamon et walnuts, or slice it into Greek yogurt.
• Collation : apple slices with a spoon of almond ou peanut butter give fibre, protein and fat together.
• Baked apples: core the apples, fill with chopped nuts, a little honey and cinnamon and bake for about 30 minutes. This is the cooked form Ayurveda recommends for Vata.
• Salads: thin apple slices go well with cabbage, céleri, carotte ou épinard; a squeeze of lemon keeps the cut apple from browning.
• Storage: apples keep longest in the fridge or a cool cellar.

Who should be careful

• Latex allergy. MedlinePlus lists apples among foods less strongly linked with latex-fruit syndrome, a reaction to certain foods in people allergic to latex. If an apple makes your mouth itch or swell, talk to an allergist.
• Apple juice. Juice keeps the sugar but loses most of the fibre, and in a large US study fruit juice was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while whole apples were associated with a lower one. Choose the whole fruit when you can.
• Teeth. Healthdirect Australia lists fruit juices among acidic drinks that can contribute to dental erosion. Rinsing your mouth with water after juice and waiting at least 30 minutes before brushing helps protect the enamel.

Related entries and articles

• Avoine – apple and cinnamon porridge
• Cinnamon – the classic partner for baked apples
• Walnuts – for baked apples and salads
• Bananes – a higher-GI fruit for comparison
• Pomegranate
• 7 healthy foods for breakfast
• Plant-based meals for weight loss

FAQ

Should I eat apple skin?

Yes, if you tolerate it. According to Boyer and Liu (2004), apple peel contains two to six times more phenolic compounds than the flesh, and the peel adds fibre too. Wash the apple well under running water before eating.

Are apples good for people with diabetes?

Raw apples have a low glycemic index of 36, and in a large US study apples and pears were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. A medium apple still has about 25 g of carbohydrate, so count it as a fruit portion.

Is apple juice as healthy as an apple?

No. Juice loses most of the fibre and is easy to drink in large amounts. In the same US cohorts, whole apples were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and fruit juice with a higher risk.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Apples, raw, with skin (FDC ID 171688). fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. Boyer J, Liu RH. Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits. Nutr J 2004;3:5. PMC
3. Muraki I, Imamura F, Manson JE, et al. Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies. BMJ 2013;347:f5001. PMC
4. EFSA NDA Panel (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 8(3):1462. efsa.europa.eu
5. MedlinePlus. Latex allergy – for hospital patients. medlineplus.gov
6. Healthdirect Australia. Dental erosion. healthdirect.gov.au
7. Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care 2008;31(12):2281-2283. PMC
8. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.