The Unexpected Ingredient You Should Use To Soak Apples

When shopping in the fruit aisle, Americans are likely to pass up oranges and cherries for a fruit synonymous with the fourth of July — according to Agricultural Marketing Resource Center apples are the most munched on fruit in the United States. Given their ability to be enjoyed unaltered or baked into treats like iconic apple pie, warm apple sauce, and candy-like baked apples, it makes sense the U.S. would claim the sweet and sometimes sour fruit as its favorite.

However, If you're familiar with preparing apple slices for lunch or baking with a bit of cinnamon and sugar (via Home Made Interest), you're also probably familiar with watching the apple slices you just cut turn brown a little too fast. Luckily, this only apparent downside to apples can be amended. You can ensure your apples stay white and fresh after you cut them by simply soaking them in what just might be your favorite type of drink.

According to Pick Your Own.org, apple slices turn brown quickly due to the "cut cells of the apple" coming in contact with oxygen. However, Kristen Tomlan, the founder of the NYC-based company, DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections, revealed her go-to hack for slowing down apple slices' browning process to People. Tolman stated that allowing your newly cut apple slices to sit in some kind of lemon-lime soda before cleaning them with water will keep your apple slices fresh. The well-known chef attests that the citric acid that creates lemon-lime soda counteracts the usual reaction that causes your apple slices to brown.

Tolman is not the only one suggesting people use lemon-lime soda to preserve their apple slices. Taste of Home advises bathing your apple slices in lemon-lime soda thoroughly "for five minutes" before preparing to dine on them. The same website stated you can use around a tablespoon of lemon juice in water to keep your apple slices from browning if you don't have lemon-lime soda. Kitchn also verified this method of keeping your apple slices crispy, noting that, after testing it, this hack can keep your apple slices fresh and ready to enjoy for around three hours.