Why You Should Eat Apples Everyday: Benefits Of Apples
HEALTH BENEFITS OF APPLES
Regular intake of apples can help you lose weight and prevent cancer
From
helping to prevent obesity from inhibiting cancer, and more – crunchy,
refreshing apples offer an almost unbelievable array of health benefits. Let’s
take a closer look at this delicious fruit and give it the attention it
deserves.
RELATED: 12 Reasons Why Apples Should be a Part of Your Daily
Apples
are a nutritional powerhouse
Researchers
report that apples are packed with antioxidant polyphenols, fiber, and
essential micronutrients, with particularly high levels of bioactive constituents
known as flavonoids. The flavonoid quercetin, in particular, has been
extensively studied for its cancer-preventing and heart-healthy qualities, and
apples contain it in abundant amounts – along with two other disease-fighting
flavonoids, kaempferol, and myricetin.
Apples
are also rich in antioxidant plant pigments known as anthocyanins, which are
responsible for the fruit’s coloration. The deeper the shade of red, the more
anthocyanins the apple contains.
In
addition, apples contain essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C,
calcium and potassium, along with the vision-preserving carotenoids lutein and
zeaxanthin.
Yet, a medium-sized apple contains a modest 75 calories, making it a true nutritional winner.
Apples
help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of obesity
Noting
the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, the researchers included apples
in a list of “high flavonoid foods” that may help prevent obesity. Other high
flavonoid foods included pears, berries, and peppers.
The
Harvard study is not the only research attesting to apples’ ability to promote
weight loss. A Brazilian study published in Nutrition showed that overweight
women who ate three apples a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than
those women who didn’t add fruit to their diet.
Apples
not only help prevent weight gain but can contribute to a healthy gut
microbiome, which in itself promotes healthy weight.
A study published in Food Chemistry showed that Granny Smith apples, rich in both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, increased levels of “friendly” bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Researchers
noted that pectin, a type of fiber found in apples and pears, has prebiotic
benefits – meaning that it increases levels of butyrate, a fatty acid that
serves as fuel for desirable bacteria.
For maximum benefit, experts advise consuming ripe, organic apples, peel and all. Fully two-thirds of the fruit’s antioxidants are found in the skin.
Important
to note: Apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide, which could be harmful
or even fatal if too many are consumed. Although apples and apple skins offer a
bonanza of health benefits, take care to avoid eating the seeds.
Apples
can slash lung cancer risk in half
And, the anti-carcinogenic effects of apples don’t stop lung cancer.
In a 2010 study published in European Journal of Cancer Prevention, researchers found that flavonoids in apples can inhibit cancer onset and suppress cancer cell proliferation – and concluded that eating just one apple a day cut the risk of colorectal cancer by more than a third.
And, score yet another cancer-fighting plus for quercetin in apples – Mayo Clinic researchers report that the flavonoid may be able to inhibit or prevent the growth of human prostate cancer cells by blocking the activity of androgen hormones.
RELATED: CARROTS: Miracle For Lung Cancer And Other Cancers
Apples
target harmful LDL cholesterol and help us to prevent heart disease
In one
study of healthy, middle-aged adults, eating an apple a day for four weeks
lowered LDL levels by an astounding 40 percent – an effect more dramatic than
that of many cholesterol-lowering pharmaceutical drugs. In fact, one recent
study showed that eating one apple a day was equivalent to daily statin use.
Apples also support heart health by reducing the oxidation of dangerous LDL cholesterol, thereby preventing inflammatory damage to arteries.
And, finally, apples lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation which some researchers believe can trigger heart disease and heart attacks.
Apples
can help prevent and eliminate neurodegenerative disease symptoms
Polyphenols in apples, particularly quercetin, can protect against oxidative damage to brain neurons, which contributes to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. And anthocyanins, found in good supply in apples, have also shown the ability to improve memory and slow cognitive decline.
In an animal study at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, researchers discovered that apples and apple juice can improve brain health and mitigate symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Eat more apples and live healthier and longer.