Woodapple
The crab apple is a pome fruit and belongs to the rose family. The plant is widely regarded as the ancestral form of the cultivated apple. The fruit is a trademark in the Eastern Ore Mountains, because the region is also known as the “Holzäppelgebirge”.
Things to know about crabapples
The crabapple belongs to the genus Maloideae. These include other pome fruit plants native to Europe, Asia and North America. Together with various cultivars, the genus includes about 40 species. The best-known representatives of the pome fruit family are the Jonagold, Elstar, Boskop and Granny Smith apple varieties.
The crab apple is often difficult to distinguish from other wild cultivars. Characteristic distinguishing features are the leaves and the fruit. In contrast to the cultivated apple, the leaves are hardly hairy. The fruits are only about three centimeters in size, woody and have a slightly reddish colour.
The original distribution area of the crab apple is also difficult to narrow down. It is assumed that the origins of the crab apple can be found in the Near East and Europe. The shrubs are about four meters high and occur at altitudes of 1,200 meters. The plant prefers calcareous soil and a bright location.
The crab apple is particularly effective as a single tree. The plant can also find its place in a wild hedge in combination with sloes or hawthorn. The population of the crabapple has been declining in recent decades. In addition to the Eastern Ore Mountains, there are also noteworthy populations on the Upper Rhine, in the North Sauerland and in the Swabian Jura. In large parts of Germany, the plant is listed as an endangered species on the Red List.
importance to health
The small crab apples are surrounded by a hard, woody shell. The bark is about five millimeters thick and not suitable for consumption. The pulp is brownish and sticky and has a sweet and sour taste. Apples have a high health benefit and, as a source of vitamin C, are indispensable for a healthy and conscious diet.
The Romans and Greeks made wine from the crab apple. Today, the high pectin content is used to advantage and the fruit is used as a thickening agent in jam production. Already in pre-Christian times crab apples were used as animal feed. It is also documented that the fruits were used as a remedy for fever , dysentery or intestinal problems.
The pulp also serves as a tonic for strengthening the heart and liver . Likewise, the ground peel and pulp can be applied to the skin for snake and insect bites. Naturopathy knows the crab apple as Bach Flower No. 10 called Crab Apple.
Ingredients & nutritional values
You shouldn’t be bothered by the tart sour taste of the crab apple, because the fruit is edible and also very healthy due to its valuable ingredients. It contains large amounts of pectin. This makes the fruit a good choice as a gelling and thickening agent. Other ingredients include fruit acids, tanning agents, sugar and vitamins A, B and C. Crab apples also contain beta-carotene as a precursor to vitamin A. The vitamin C content is comparatively low. Thiamin and riboflavin as vitamins of the B group are contained in significant concentrations.
intolerances
The crab apple is rarely eaten raw and is generally well tolerated in jams or as a tea. Raw crab apples could pose a problem for apple allergy sufferers. Cooking the apples changes the protein building blocks and allergy sufferers usually have no problem consuming juice, jelly, tea or wine made from crab apples.
Contamination by pesticides can be almost completely ruled out in the crab apple. The peel is not suitable for consumption and the fruit is usually only available from farms that are committed to organic farming.
Shopping and kitchen tips
The fruit of the wild apple cannot be found on the supermarket shelf. You will find what you are looking for in tree nurseries or with farmers who devote themselves to old fruit trees and cultivate them accordingly. This has the advantage that practically only organic goods are available from the crab apple. For processing, it is enough to wash the fruit and remove the stalk.
Before preparation, the crab apples are crushed. The core can be cooked at the same time. The fruits can hardly be stored and should be processed as soon as possible. The crab apple stays cool in the vegetable drawer for about three days. If you want to eat the apple raw, crack the hard shell with a hammer and then scoop out the flesh. Sugar can be added as needed.
To obtain a refreshing drink, the flesh of the crab apple is mixed with water and strained. Fruits that are still unripe can ripen for a few weeks in the blazing sun.
preparation tips
Crab apples are usually not eaten raw, but cooked or dried. In the case of fruit spreads, the crab apple ensures good gelling properties and intensive coloring. The juice of the crab apple makes a reddish jelly.
A tea rich in vitamins can be prepared from the dried pieces of fruit. This drink relieves fever and speeds up the digestive process. Another preferred processing method is wine production or the production of wild apple brandy. As a fruit compote, the crab apple goes into the cooking pot with other apple varieties or with barberries or mountain ash.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.