An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
An apple a day keeps the doctor away – we have heard this proverb so many times that don’t pay attention to it any more. However, there are many reasons to heed the advice of that old saying. Lots of scientific studies are being done to show the health benefits of including apples in your diet. Scientists have named an apple the fruit number one for humans. Sometimes we forget that the simplest answer is the best. Next time you need a snack reach for the fruit bowl for some apples.
Health Benefits of Apples
- Boost your immune system:
- Avoid Alzheimer’s:
- Protect against Parkinson’s:
- Lower cholesterol and improve your cardio-vascular system:
- Reduce the risk of cancer:
- Help maintain a healthy digestive tract:
- Avert haemorrhoids:
- Manage diabetes:
- Control your weight:
- Prevent gallstones formation:
- Reduce the probability of cataracts:
- Protect your bones:
Apples contain vitamins A, B and C and an antioxidant called quercetin which, as multiple recent studies have found, can help to boost and fortify your immune system, especially when you are stressed out.
The quercetin in apples may protect brain cells from the kind of free radical damage that may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Researches have shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods may gain protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants.
Pectin and soluble fibre, which binds with fats in the intestine, lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The phenolic compound of apple skin also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease. They say that people who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16%.
It is a scientifically proven fact that flavonoid–rich apples could help reduce the risk of developing pancreatic, liver, lung, colon, and breast cancer. Several compounds – triterpenoids – found in apple peel have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells.
Fibre in apple can pull water out of the colon to keep things moving along or absorb excess water from the stool to slow the bowels down. It can neutralize irritable bowel syndrome that characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. Whether you cannot go to the bathroom or you just cannot stop, apples will be of great help.
Haemorrhoids are caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Fibre can prevent you from straining too much when going to the bathroom and thereby help alleviate hemorrhoids.
The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.
Being overweight can cause many health problems: heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. Foods high in fibre will fill you up without costing you too many calories.
The excess of cholesterol in your bile can solidify in form of gallstones. Fibre helps to control your cholesterol level.
Though past studies have been divided on the issue, recent long-term studies suggest that people who have a diet rich in fruits that contain antioxidants—like apples—are 10 to 15 per cent less likely to develop cataracts.
Phloridzin, a flavanoid found only in apples, may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density.
A WORD OF WARNING!
Although, apples are very healthy food, not everyone can consume them. If you have gastritis, ulcer or pancreatitis, eating apples could be a bad idea. Apples may harm your teeth and may not “keep the dentist away”. Ask your doctor first. Also, apples are the most heavily contaminated fruit. Try organic or buy from the farmers you trust.
