How An Apple a day keeps the Doctor Away!
Eat Apples to stay healthy and fit.
This is an old Welsh proverb that most of us are familiar with, but what makes this fruit so special? What health benefits are associated with eating apples? As one of the most cultivated and consumed fruits in the world, apples are continuously being praised for being a “miracle food”.
It is a fact that apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants and dietary fiber. They contain Vitamin C which is a powerful natural antioxidant capable of blocking some of the damage caused by free radicals, as well as boosting the body’s resistance against infectious agents. Besides, apples also contain B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, thiamin (vitamin B1) and vitamin B-6) – these vitamins are key in maintaining red blood cells and the nervous system in good health. Apples are also rich in polyphenolic compounds.
The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
A collection of research studies suggests that apples may well be one of the most healthy foods for you to include in your daily diet. Let’s take a look at the health benefits of this miracle fruit.
- Preventing dementia
A study published in the Journal of Food Science in 2008 suggested that eating apples may have benefit for your neurological health.
The researchers found that including apples in your daily diet may protect neuron cells against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity and may play an important role in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
- Reducing your risk of stroke
A study involving 9,208 men and women showed that those who ate the most apples over a 28-year period had the lowest risk for stroke.
The researchers concluded that the intake of apples is related to a decreased risk of thrombatic stroke.
- Reducing your risk of diabetes
Apples could also help lower your risk of diabetes. A study involving 187,382 people found that people who ate three servings per week of apples, grapes, raisins, blueberries or pears had a 7% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who did not.
- Warding off breast cancer
There is growing evidence suggesting that an apple a day may help prevent breast cancer, according to a series of studies conducted by prominent Cornell researcher Rui Hai Liu.
Liu said her research adds to the growing evidence that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, would provide consumers with more phenolics, which are proving to have important health benefits.
- Obesity
In a study published in the journal Food Chemistry in 2014, a team of researchers analyzed how the bioactive compounds of seven different varieties of apples – Granny Smith, Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, McIntosh and Red Delicious –affected the good gut bacteria of diet-induced obese mice.
The researchers found that, compared with all other apple varieties, Granny Smiths appeared to have the most beneficial effect on good gut bacteria. They suggest that their findings may lead to strategies that prevent obesity and its associated disorders.
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