The Soda Tip To Prevent Sliced Apples From Turning Brown

Apples are as American as apple pie: The fruit has a long and rich culinary history in the United States and in addition to being enjoyed freshly picked, they are a versatile ingredient that comes in a multitude of types that can be turned into sauces, butters, and variations on the apple pie.

Certain varieties of apples have thicker skin and thus can be kept in storage for longer, but any apple type, no matter how you slice it, will eventually turn from a pristine and pale white or yellow flesh into a sad-looking and rather unappetizing shade of brown. The color distortion is harmless and is a simple outcome of science (read: enzymes in fruit), but the aesthetic downgrade can be bothersome for aesthetes. Some may know of handy tricks like using lemon juice to keep avocados, artichokes, and apples fresh-looking, or seltzer water for apples for those who don't like the taste of lemon. But there's another alternative to save your apples from going brown.

Sprite is a versatile, lemon-lime flavored soda that can be used in cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks alike, which means it's a good bottled beverage to have stored away in your pantry for entertaining. The soda can even be used to make your roast chicken dinner even juicier. And if you're in the middle of making an apple pie but want your apples to retain their white color, you can use Sprite.

Soaking your apple slices in Sprite will result in a similar lemony taste as using lemon juice, but there's the added benefit of the high sugar content, which will make the apple flavor stand out even more. If you're really going for details, you can get Sprite in glass bottles, which will deliver the most neutral and unadulterated taste. This trick will come in handy the next time you whip up a fall apple salad, where the apples remain uncooked and their aesthetic appeal is on apparent display.