Green Vs Red Apples – What’s The Difference?

You’ve heard that saying – an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples can certainly be a great contribution to any meal from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. Apples also make great snacks and desserts and there are so many things you can do with them! 

Whether you prefer to eat your apple whole, core it and slice it, or make it into some sort of decadent apple dish, it’s safe to say apples have a lot to offer to just about anyone willing to eat them. There are so many ways to use apples and so many different types of apples available. 

One thing that most people don’t understand is the differences between the various types of apples, specifically greed and red apples.

What are the differences between red and green apples? The most notable differences between red and green apples aside from the obvious color differences are that green apples tend to have a sweet and sour flavor while red apples don’t typically have a sour flavor to them; they are sweet. 

In this guide, we will discuss green vs. red apples. We will cover just what are the differences between these colorful apply types and whether or not the differences really matter? We will go over every aspect that sets each apart individually to give you a better understanding of how they are both different and alike. 

Keep reading to learn all about the differences between red and green apples and more. 

The Ultimate Guide to Green vs. Red Apples

An apple is an apple, right? Well, that statement is mostly right but believe it or not every flavor and every color of apple has its own unique characteristics. You will even find that many different flavors that are the same colors have outstanding qualities that make them different. 

Take for example red delicious apples vs. gala apples. These apples both fall under the red category but they are notably different in color, shape, size, and even flavor when you really compare them. 

When it comes to comparing apples to apples, there are a lot of things to consider and understand to know what sets each apple apart. Don’t worry, we don’t expect you to be the expert on the subject. 

Our hope is that by the time we complete this guide, you will understand the basics of the differences between red and green apples more than anything. 

As we progress through this guide, we will cover first green apples and then red apples on an individual basis.

We will then round out the guide with an overview summary that brings all of the information back together for a simple reference to help you understand just how these apples are different from one another. 

Let’s begin! 

Green Apples

Green apples often are taken for granted and pushed to the back burner when they really deserve a front-row seat. Green apples have a lot to offer in both health and beauty industries, as well as the different things you can make with green apples. 

Green apples tend to have a slightly sour flavor to them but they are still juicy and delicious if you give them a try. There are not as many varieties of green apples as there are of red apples.

Here are a few types of green apples for your reference. 

• Granny Smith 
• Crispin
• Shizuka
• Pippin

These are the 4 most common green apple varieties, with Granny Smith apples really being the most well-known. In fact, if you visit your local grocery store, Granny Smith is the green variety you are most likely to find. Of course, this depends on the store and their options. 

On another note, there are also yellow apples, which fall into their own category. They are unique in their own way as well. Most yellow apples are more similar to red apples than green apples. 

Green apples are limited in options and categories but they offer plenty in other ways. 

Green apples have a lot to offer, both in what you can make with them and the health benefits that you can appreciate from them. We’re going to cover both aspects here in summary form. 

Cooking Uses for Green Apples

Let’s start by discussing some of the best ways to enjoy green apples as a food dish. Of course, you can absolutely enjoy them fresh and they are very good that way. You can core them, peel them, or simply bite into them whole. 

Otherwise, there are plenty of things to make with green apples. Here are a few ideas for you. 

• Apple and mango salsa
• Apple salad
• Apple cobbler
• Green apple crisp
• Caramel apples
• Apple turnovers
• Apple cider
• Apple cinnamon muffins
• Top oatmeal, quinoa, or salad
• Sangria

Ultimately, you can make almost anything with green apples that you would with red apples. 

Health Benefits of Green Apples

Green apples are slightly lower in fiber content than red apples. They are also lower in natural carbohydrates and sugar. Both apples have a lot of health and beauty benefits they offer when you put them to use. 

Green apples can increase your metabolism thanks to their high fiber content. In fact, this is even further improved by eating your green apple with the peel intact. The peel itself offers a lot of value to the apple overall. Green apples are detoxifying for your liver and digestive system. 

Green apples are low in both fat and calorie content. They promote healthy circulation and blood flow. They can even aid in healing blood clots. They are high in both vitamins A and C. Green apples can reduce wrinkles and fight signs of aging as well. They also promote healthy bones. 

Red Apples

Red apples reside in a category all their own. They often take the bulk of the credit for apples, causing green apples to be far overlooked. 

There are a lot more flavors of red apples than green apples. Red apples tend to be more sweet and juicy than sour. 

Here are a few of the most known flavors of red apples. 

• Red delicious
• Gala
• Fuji
• Honeycrisp
• Braeburn
• Jonagold
• Rome
• Cameo
• McIntosh

One thing you might notice about red apples is that very few of them are truly all red. Red delicious apples are bright, dark red but most other red apple varieties are a mixture of red and yellow. Of course, this varies by the type and flavor of apple as well. 

Just like with green apples, there are a lot of things you can do with red apples. In fact, if we made a list of the things you can make with red apples, it would be almost identical to the list we shared for green apples. 

You might add things like applesauce or apple juice but for the most part, anything you can make with red apples you can also make with green apples (and vice versa). Your flavors will vary because the apples don’t taste exactly the same but that’s really the beauty of the matter. 

Health Benefits of Red Apples

Ultimately, while red and green apples offer different health benefits from each other, they are both quite healthy in their own regard. One apple is not healthier than another, they just might be slightly different. 

Red apples are higher in both fiber and carbohydrate content than green apples are. Here are some great health benefits of red apples. 

• Nutritious content – low calories
• Source of Vitamin C and K as well as Potassium
• Great for dieting and weight loss
• Promotes heart health
• Lowes cholesterol
• Reduce diabetes risk
• Promote good gut health
• Promote healthy bones
• Good for your brain

There are many great health benefits to red apples that are commonly overlooked, apart from people knowing they are healthy. 

Overview Summary

As you can see from the information above, red and green apples both have a lot to offer. They both are very healthy for you and offer a lot of benefits that are often overlooked and taken for granted. 

There are a lot more varieties of red apples to choose from then there are of green. When it comes to health, both apples are very healthy for you. Some health benefits are the same while a few vary slightly. 

Related Questions

We hope that you find this guide to understanding the differences between red and green apples to be a helpful resource for differentiating the two apple types. There are many similarities and differences between these apples. 

We invite you to review the question and answer section for some additional information. 

What Makes the Colors Different in Apples?

The primary reason for the color difference is the amount of chlorophyll that is found in the apple peel. Red apples contain anthocyanins that cause the peel to be reddened in color. 

Is There One Apple Healthier Than the Rest? 

Nearly all apples have very similar health benefits. However, it’s best to go with natural apples rather than apples that have been cross-bred or created. Granny Smith apples have a ton of phytonutrients compared to other green apples.