The humble apple has become a part of our culture in many ways. It has found its way into religion – Eve is meant to have consumed an apple that led to Adam and Eve being kicked out of the Garden of Eden. It has found its way into age-old fairy tales – Snow White took a bite out of a poisoned apple. New York City is called the Big Apple and a popular saying about being someone’s favourite is – “you are the apple of my eye”. It’s even found its way into health fables – As the saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. And perhaps, most recognised of all is tech giant APPLE.

But how much do we really know about apples? Is it really good for you? Why has it been linked to poison and original sin? Why is it so much a part of of our lives?

Here are 10 fun facts of apples you may not have known about.

1. Cyanide is found in apples

Cyanide is a well-known poison and it is actually found in apples! Apple seeds contain a compound called amygdalin that’s part of the fruit’s defence system. If you crush or chew apple seeds, the amygdalin can degrade into hydrogen cyanide, which can be lethal in high doses. But it would take at least 160 apple seeds to put an adult’s life at risk. So, worry not, an apple a day will not put you in danger.

2. Apples are actually part of the rose family

Yes you heard that right!

The Rose family is called Rosaceae. It includes several important crops such as:

• apples
• pears
• cherries
• peaches
• strawberries

3. There are more than 7,500 varieties of apples

It would take you more than 20 years to try them all if you ate one a day!

4. Apples need cold temperatures to keep

Apples ripen up to 10 times faster when you leave them out than when you refrigerate them. So if you want to keep them fresh longer, refrigerate them!

5. Apples float

 Apples float because 25 percent of their volume is made up by air!

6. There is name for the study of growing apples

Pomology is the science of apple-growing.

7. There are diverse apple sizes

Apples can range in size from as small as a cherry to as big as a grapefruit.