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The types of apples sold most widely in the United States include Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious, and these five are the only apple varieties USDA FoodData Central lists one by one. University of Maryland Extension describes Granny Smith as a tart, very crisp green apple and Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious as sweet. In USDA SR Legacy data, a cup of sliced Granny Smith lists about 3.1 grams of fiber, the most of the five, and a cup of sliced Fuji about 69 calories, the most energy. This guide pairs the extension descriptions with two USDA tables, per sliced cup and per 100 grams, with FDC IDs and FDA percent Daily Value. For the single-fruit overview, see our apple guide.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- NC State Extension places the common apple, Malus domestica, in the rose family (Rosaceae) and notes that many cultivars exist with differences in color, flavor and recommended food use.
- USDA SR Legacy lists five named apple varieties: Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Red Delicious, all raw with skin.
- Per sliced cup in USDA data, the five varieties sit close together: 62 to 69 calories and 2.3 to 3.1 grams of fiber, with Granny Smith highest in fiber.
- Peeling matters more than variety for fiber: USDA lists 2.6 grams per cup for raw apples with skin against 1.4 grams without skin.
- SR Legacy gives no vitamin C value for the five named varieties, so the tables say not listed rather than borrowing a number.
What makes the types of apples different?
NC State Extension describes the common apple, Malus domestica, as a deciduous tree with edible fruit in the rose family (Rosaceae), and says many cultivars exist with differences in color, flavor and recommended food use. A cultivar is a named, propagated variety; University of Maryland Extension adds that some cultivars also have strains, a genetically distinct population within a cultivar that may differ slightly in color or ripening time from the parent.
University of Maryland Extension calls apples and pears pome fruits in its home-garden fruit guidance. Our stone fruits and citrus fruits guides cover the other big fruit groups, and the companion types of pears guide covers pears.
The UMD Extension cultivar bulletin sorts apples by four traits a shopper can see or taste: skin color, size, shape and taste, along with the ripening season in the orchard. The sections below use those traits for the five varieties USDA lists.
Five apple varieties with USDA entries
Granny Smith
University of Maryland Extension describes Granny Smith as a medium to large apple with medium-dark green skin, often with a slight blush, and greenish white, very crisp flesh. It is the tart one of the group, which the bulletin calls good for culinary purposes and fresh eating, and it is a long-keeping apple. In USDA SR Legacy data, Granny Smith also lists the most fiber of the five per sliced cup, about 3.1 grams, or 11% of the FDA Daily Value.
Gala
The same UMD Extension bulletin lists Gala as a small to medium apple whose skin runs from cream to red with yellow stripes, crunchy and juicy with a sweet, pear-like flavor, and suited to fresh eating, cooking and baking. NC State Extension describes the flavor as mild, sweet and sometimes slightly tart. It ripens early to mid-season, per the bulletin.
Fuji
Fuji, according to UMD Extension, is a cross between Red Delicious and Ralls Janet: a medium, round to conical apple whose color ranges from pink to crimson, with crisp, firm, juicy, dull white flesh and a predominantly sweet flavor. The bulletin lists it as a late-ripening variety with a very long shelf life. In USDA SR Legacy data, a sliced cup of Fuji lists about 69 calories and 12.7 grams of total sugars, the highest of the five on both counts.
Golden Delicious
UMD Extension describes Golden Delicious as a medium apple, pale green to golden yellow, with an aromatic, balanced, slightly juicy and crisp texture and a sweet taste. The bulletin warns that it is very prone to bruising and shriveling, so it needs careful handling. It ripens mid-season.
Red Delicious
Red Delicious, in the UMD Extension description, is a medium apple with a distinctive tall conical shape and bright red skin, sweet and lightly aromatic, with firm, cream-colored flesh. NC State Extension calls it the most widely planted apple tree in North America. The bulletin lists it as a mid to late season apple.
Other apple varieties without a USDA entry
Many familiar apples have no variety-specific entry in USDA SR Legacy, so their nutrients fall under the general raw apple rows below. University of Maryland Extension describes these among the important cultivars of the Mid-Atlantic:
- McIntosh: small to medium, two-toned red and green, sweet tart, per the UMD bulletin.
- Empire: described by UMD Extension as a cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious, deep red, sweet tart.
- Cortland: medium to large, deep purple red with yellow streaks, with white flesh the bulletin calls non-browning.
- Jonagold: large and orangish red in the UMD table; NC State Extension describes it as crimson red stippled with yellow-gold.
- Braeburn, Rome Beauty and York: red, sweet tart apples in the bulletin, with Rome Beauty singled out as particularly good for processing or baking.
USDA nutrients per sliced cup
The table ranks the seven USDA SR Legacy raw apple entries by fiber per sliced cup, the portion USDA gives for every one of them (109 grams; 110 grams for peeled apple). Percent Daily Value uses the FDA reference amounts in 21 CFR 101.9: fiber 28 grams, potassium 4,700 milligrams, vitamin C 90 milligrams and vitamin K 120 micrograms.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Sugars | Potassium | Vitamin C | Vitamin K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples, raw, granny smith, with skin (168203) | 1 cup sliced, 109 g | 63 | 14.8 g | 3.1 g (11%) | 10.5 g | 131 mg (3%) | not listed | 3.5 mcg (3%) |
| Apples, raw, golden delicious, with skin (168202) | 1 cup sliced, 109 g | 62 | 14.8 g | 2.6 g (9%) | 10.9 g | 109 mg (2%) | not listed | 2.0 mcg (2%) |
| Apples, raw, with skin (171688) | 1 cup sliced, 109 g | 57 | 15.1 g | 2.6 g (9%) | 11.3 g | 117 mg (2%) | 5.0 mg (6%) | 2.4 mcg (2%) |
| Apples, raw, red delicious, with skin (168201) | 1 cup sliced, 109 g | 64 | 15.3 g | 2.5 g (9%) | 11.4 g | 113 mg (2%) | not listed | 2.8 mcg (2%) |
| Apples, raw, gala, with skin (168204) | 1 cup sliced, 109 g | 62 | 14.9 g | 2.5 g (9%) | 11.3 g | 118 mg (3%) | not listed | 1.4 mcg (1%) |
| Apples, raw, fuji, with skin (167793) | 1 cup sliced, 109 g | 69 | 16.6 g | 2.3 g (8%) | 12.7 g | 119 mg (3%) | not listed | 1.1 mcg (1%) |
| Apples, raw, without skin (171689) | 1 cup sliced, 110 g | 53 | 14.0 g | 1.4 g (5%) | 11.1 g | 99 mg (2%) | 4.4 mg (5%) | 0.7 mcg (1%) |
Two patterns stand out in the USDA rows. The named varieties differ by only a few calories and less than a gram of fiber per cup, while peeling cuts fiber from 2.6 grams to 1.4 grams in the general USDA entries. The FDA Daily Values are labeling reference amounts for a 2,000-calorie diet, not personal targets, and a Nutrition Facts label on packaged apple products may show different numbers. Our high-fiber fruits and low-calorie fruits lists compare apples with other fruit.
USDA nutrients per 100 grams
Per 100 grams, USDA SR Legacy puts every raw apple entry between 84.2 and 86.7 grams of water. In the same USDA data, Fuji lists the most calories and total sugars, at 63 calories and 11.7 grams, and Granny Smith the most fiber and potassium, at 2.8 grams and 120 milligrams.
| Food per 100 g (USDA FDC ID) | Calories | Water | Carbohydrate | Sugars | Fiber | Potassium | Vitamin C | Vitamin K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples, raw, granny smith, with skin (168203) | 58 | 85.5 g | 13.6 g | 9.6 g | 2.8 g | 120 mg | not listed | 3.2 mcg |
| Apples, raw, golden delicious, with skin (168202) | 57 | 85.8 g | 13.6 g | 10.0 g | 2.4 g | 100 mg | not listed | 1.8 mcg |
| Apples, raw, with skin (171688) | 52 | 85.6 g | 13.8 g | 10.4 g | 2.4 g | 107 mg | 4.6 mg | 2.2 mcg |
| Apples, raw, red delicious, with skin (168201) | 59 | 85.3 g | 14.1 g | 10.5 g | 2.3 g | 104 mg | not listed | 2.6 mcg |
| Apples, raw, gala, with skin (168204) | 57 | 85.8 g | 13.7 g | 10.4 g | 2.3 g | 108 mg | not listed | 1.3 mcg |
| Apples, raw, fuji, with skin (167793) | 63 | 84.2 g | 15.2 g | 11.7 g | 2.1 g | 109 mg | not listed | 1.0 mcg |
| Apples, raw, without skin (171689) | 48 | 86.7 g | 12.8 g | 10.1 g | 1.3 g | 90 mg | 4.0 mg | 0.6 mcg |
Apples contain fruit sugars: our fructose foods list and low-sugar fruits guide give the USDA context, and high-potassium fruits covers potassium. NIDDK lists certain fruits, including apples, peaches and pears, among foods with carbohydrates that may lead to excess gas, and suggests talking with your doctor about your diet; our gas guide has more.
How to tell apple varieties apart
- Color: in the UMD Extension descriptions, Granny Smith is green, Golden Delicious pale green to golden yellow, Red Delicious bright red, and Gala and Fuji striped or blushed.
- Shape: the same bulletin gives Red Delicious a tall conical shape, Fuji round to conical and Golden Delicious conical to oblong.
- Taste: UMD Extension rates Granny Smith tart and Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious sweet.
- Use: the bulletin names Gala for fresh eating, cooking and baking and Granny Smith for culinary use and fresh eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of apples does USDA list?
USDA SR Legacy lists five named varieties, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Red Delicious, plus general raw apple entries with and without skin.
Which apple variety ranks first in the USDA tables?
Per sliced cup in USDA SR Legacy data, Granny Smith lists about 3.1 grams, or 11% of the FDA Daily Value, ahead of the other four named varieties.
Which apples are tart and which are sweet?
University of Maryland Extension describes Granny Smith as tart and Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious as sweet; McIntosh and Empire are sweet tart.
Does the skin change apple nutrients?
Yes, in USDA SR Legacy data a sliced cup of raw apple with skin lists 2.6 grams of fiber and the peeled entry 1.4 grams.
Why does the table say vitamin C is not listed?
USDA SR Legacy gives no vitamin C value for the five named apple varieties, so the table shows not listed instead of copying the general apple value.
Are apples and pears related?
NC State Extension places both in the rose family (Rosaceae), and University of Maryland Extension calls apples and pears pome fruits.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Types of Pears: European and Asian Varieties, USDA Data, Apple Calories and Nutrition: Are Apples Healthy?, Stone Fruits: What Counts as a Drupe, With USDA Nutrients, Types of Berries: Kitchen Names, Botany and USDA Nutrients.