One of the highest flavonoid-rich apples grown in Australia, Bravo apples have won the best fresh snack category in the 2025 Healthy Food Guide Awards Australia.
For leading Australian fresh fruit supplier and marketer WA Farm Direct, the award acknowledges extensive and ongoing research and development into Bravo’s impressive nutritional profile and solidifies its position as a top-tier snack choice.
WA Farm Direct managing director Jenny Mercer says we are incredibly proud Bravo apples have been officially recognised as one of Australia's healthiest snacks.
"The award is due to the dedication of our growers who ensure every single apple meets the Bravo quality standards,” she says.
“Now there’s even more reason to enjoy a Bravo apple.
“Not only are they delicious, but they are good for you and, with the crop now in peak season, spring is the perfect time for Australians to enjoy the crisp, sweet flavour and goodness which makes Bravo apples so unique.”
Scientists explore Bravo health benefits
Jenny says a report funded by Fruit West Co-operative found Bravo apples contain a high level of anthocyanins in their naturally deep burgundy skin.
“Research by Dr Ruey Leng Loo at the Australian National Phenome Centre (ANPC) at Murdoch University in Perth, continues with human medical trials looking at the benefits of eating a Bravo a day, if it will keep the doctor away and for how long,” Jenny says.
“Results are expected by the end of the year,” she adds.
“Fruit West Co-operative with the West Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have assisted with funding the project.
“Research into a range of apples, including Bravo, shows flavonoids are concentrated in the apple skin while chlorogenic acid is found in both the skin and flesh.
“There’s nothing more natural and easier than getting your health benefits from a fresh Bravo apple as they are high in natural sugars, antioxidants and fibre and are slow to brown when cut.”
The power of purple - what’s in a Bravo apple?
The phytochemical and macronutrient composition of Bravo apples includes:
- Quercetin: Found almost exclusively in the skin of apples, quercetin can improve blood vessel function, lower blood pressure and act lower blood pressure, act as an antioxidant and reduce atherosclerosis, the process of damage to the arteries which is the main cause of heart disease. Although quercetin supplements are available over the counter, evidence shows the body absorbs it better when it comes from whole foods such as apples.
- Epicatechin: Epicatechin-rich foods have been shown to improve blood vessel function, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol absorption, improve cognitive function and be associated with lower risk of diabetes.
- Chlorogenic acid: Found in the flesh and skin of apples, it plays a key role in regulating how bodies metabolise sugar and fat.
- Anthocyanins: Found in apple skin, anthocyanins have been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
- Phloridzin: Apples are unique for their high phloridzin content. The main health benefits are its ability to lower blood sugar concentrations and promote weight loss.
Spring into store for a Bravo
Approximately 25 per cent more Bravo apples are available on east coast supermarket shelves this season in response to consumer demand.
The variety ANABP 01 which produces Bravo apples was specially bred by Australian apple breeder John Cripps in 1992 and developed across two decades by the National Apple Breeding Program.
It is a cross between Cripps Red and Royal Gala and was hand-selected for superior flavour, colour and shelf-life and was launched in Western Australia in 2016.
The Healthy Food Guide Awards recognise and celebrate the most nutritious food products on Australian supermarket shelves in 17 categories and are presented by Healthy Food Guide magazine.
They are judged by a team of accredited dietitians who analyse hundreds of products to discover the most nutritious and best value-for-money products.
