Fuji vs. Gala Apples – A Complete Comparison

There are many varieties of apples with different tastes, textures and colors. Fuji and Gala are two popular ones with different characteristics. You may have wondered, what are the differences between Fuji and Gala apples?

Fuji Apples have a sweet taste with a slight tartness while Gala is sweet with no tartness. Fuji has a denser flesh than Gala and is more crispy. Both have yellow to pink to red coloring but Fuji is slightly more red than Gala.

This article will compare their tastes, textures, nutrients and colors in complete detail. In addition, I’ll explain Fuji and Gala’s uses for eating or baking.

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What Are Fuji and Gala Apples?

Thanks to selective and crossbreeding, we now have thousands of apple varieties to choose from ¹. Both Fuji and Gala apples were bred in the 20th century. Let’s learn a bit more about their origin to understand why they’re so different ².

What are Fuji Apples?

Fuji Apples originated from Japan and were discovered in the 1930s but didn’t come to the world market until 1962. Fuji Apples are a cross between 2 American apples. Japanese farmers crossbred the Red Delicious and Ralls Janet apples to create the Fuji apple.

What Are Gala Apples?

Gala apples were first bred in the 1930s. J.H. Kidd produced them in New Zealand in 1934. He crossed the Golden Delicious and Kidd’s Orange Red apples to create the Gala apple.

Gala is one of the more popular varieties in the United States. For good reason, their versatile and are good for snacking and cooking ³.

Fuji and Gala Apples Availability

Fuji apples are harvested in late October, whereas Gala apples are harvested in early September. Although thanks to modern food preservation techniques and imports, both types are available year-round. Of course, the apples taste best when they’re plucked fresh from the tree ⁴.

A Gala apple will taste the best throughout September. A Fuji apple has the crispiest texture in late October and early November. If you’re buying them out of season, the flavor and texture can vary much.

Fuji vs Gala Apples: Taste, Texture and Colors

Although these apples are both popular cultivars, they have some essential differences which might make one or the other the better option for you. Let’s examine the differences:

	Gala Apples	Fuji Apples
Texture	Soft, dense and crisp	Hard and crisp
Taste	Sweet, no hint of tartness	Sweet and a little tart
Color	Yellow, pink and red	Yellow, pink and red
Nutrients	More calories, less sugar	More sugar and iron

Taste

Both Fuji and Gala apples are low in acid, so they aren’t very tangy. However, Fuji and Gala apples are significantly sweeter because of their higher sugar content ⁵.

The aroma is quite different. Fuji apples are often described as warm, spicy, and sweet. Gala apples have more of a floral and creamy taste.

Texture

Fuji apples have denser flesh than Gala apples. This, in addition to the slightly thicker skin, gives the Fuji apple a crispier texture. Gala apples have slightly higher water content and more fiber ⁶.

Therefore, they’re more refreshing and hydrating. It’s the kind of apple you love to eat straight from the fridge when it’s scorching hot outside ⁷.

Colors

Darker apples tend to have more polyphenols, which can help prevent cancer and heart disease ⁸. Both Fuji and Gala apple colors range from yellow to pink and red.

On average, Fuji apples are slightly redder, so it’s safe to assume they contain marginally more polyphenols.

See how Gala compared to another famous apple in my article, Gala Vs Empire Apples – The Differences.

Fuji and Gala Apples: Eating, Baking and Cooking

Of course, both Gala and Fuji apples taste amazing when fresh. You can eat them as a snack in between meals, for breakfast or before going to bed. Since Fuji apples are sweeter, juicier, and often crispier, they taste a bit better.

Since both apples have low acidity, you can use them in pretty much any recipe. And since Fuji apples are denser and crispier, they’ll break down less when heated ⁹.

Fuji apples are better if you’re looking for freshness in your apple pie and apple crisp. They’ll also add more sweetness, so you can use less table sugar.

Gala apples will break down more. Therefore, they’re perfect for apple sauce, apple crumble and any other dish tasting better with soft apples. For this reason, they’re not good for apple pies which needs to hold it together more for the filling.

Gala apples over ripen more quickly, but that’s a great thing for cooking. If you’ve ever cooked homemade tomato sauce with very ripe tomatoes, you’ll know what I mean.

Gala apples also taste better in salads because they’re less sweet. You can combine them with a sour or savory dressing for a delicious and refreshing summer salad.

Admittedly, you can use the two interchangeably, except with apple pie and crisp. Only remember that Fuji apples will stay crispy after cooking.

Fuji and Gala Apples Nutrition

The following table compares the nutrients of Gala and Fuji Apples:

Nutrient	Gala Apple (1 medium apple)	Fuji Apple (1 medium apple)
Calories	94	80
Carbohydrates	23 g	24 g
Fiber	3.2 g	3.3 g
Sugar	16 g	18 g
Potassium	163 mg	172 mg
Calcium	10.78 mg	11.06 mg
Iron	0.09 mg	0.16 mg
Vitamin C	4.8 mg	4.8 mg

Nutrient Sources (Nutrition Value: Apples, raw, with skin, gala)) ¹⁰

There’s not much difference between Fuji and Gala nutrients. If I had to answer the question, which is better Fuji or Gala apples?

Fuji Apples are better than Gala due to their lower calories, more potassium, calcium and 80% more iron than Gala.Fuji is more crispy, tastes sweeter and is better for making apple pie than Gala.

Other than that, they are pretty much even and similar in carbohydrates, fiber and vitamin C.

Did you know apples’ skin which contains many antioxidants? In addition, the skin contains half the fiber. Therefore, it’s wise to leave the skin on the apple, whether eating them whole or adding them to smoothies.

In fact, the apple’s antioxidants are so powerful, scientists have calculated it’s equal to more than 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C.

Smoothie Tip: Fuji are better for smoothies. Adding frozen fruit, instead of ice, enhances the flavor and nutrient content of the smoothie. The secret to an easy smoothie with frozen items is having a blender powerful enough to handle the workload.

In addition, try these easy to make smoothies for incredible health, rapid weight loss and energy!

Fuji and Gala Apples Cost

Both Fuji and Gala apples cost about the same. But this depends on your local store. Since Gala apples ripen more quickly, you’ll see them on sale more often. Fuji apples stay fresh for longer, so it’s easier to buy them.

It’s the kind of apple you buy without even looking at it. Each apple is round and firm. That leads many people to believe that Fuji apples are superior.

If you buy Gala apples at the right time, they can taste just as good. Remember, both varieties are available year-round but taste best when in season.

Wrapping Up The Fuji and Gala Apples

Both Fuji and Gala apples are delicious varieties. I’d pick Fuji over Gala apples if I’m eating the apple as a snack ¹¹. They have a denser texture that’s very satisfying to chew ¹².

In addition, they’re much sweeter and contains a little more nutrients. Gala apples are also delicious fresh, especially straight from the fridge. They break down more during cooking than Fuji apples, so reserve them for apple sauce ¹³.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which variety you like better.

Fuji vs. Gala Apples – A Complete Comparison