Top 10 Amazing Health Benefits Of Apples

Apple Image – Wikipedia. Recipe – rawfoods-livingfoods.com

Although the apple is a temperate fruit that does not grow so well in tropical climates, it is still a popular fruit everywhere, even in tropical parts of the world – and for good reason. Not only is this fruit visually appealing and very palatable, it also has a reputation for being very healthy. (An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?)

It’s not all media hype, this healthiness of the apple. There is a wealth of scientific evidence that proves this well-loved fruit deserves much of its good reputation. Here are ten of the ways that apples can keep doctors away:

1. Cancer Prevention – Apples, apple juice, and apple extracts have all been shown to prevent colon, breast, and skin cancer in animal subjects. Epidemiological observations also support the effectiveness of apples in preventing lung and colon cancer in human populations. ^[1]

2. Antioxidant Activity – The phytochemical content of apples has demonstrated free radical scavenging activities that reduce DNA damage caused by oxidation. It may be interesting to note that according to studies, the most antioxidant-rich part of the apple is its peel, not its pulp. ^[1][2]

3. Anti-hyperglycemic – With the wealth of available scientific evidence supporting the anti-hyperglycemic effect of the apple, the question of researchers is no longer whether this fruit can really control hyperglycemia but more on which particular phenolic of the fruit confers this effect, and which apple variety provides the largest amount of benefits. ^[2]

4. Anti-diabetes – Related to the apple’s anti-hyperglycemic effect is its potential as an anti-diabetes agent. A study has shown that apple consumption is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. And again, researchers credit much of the apple’s anti-diabetic health benefits on its peel, which has a higher level of quercetin than the pulp of the fruit. ^[3]

5. Cardiovascular Protection – It has long been concluded that the more dietary fiber there is in one’s diet, the lower one’s risk for coronary heart disease becomes. ^[4] A hundred grams of raw apple with its skin on contains 10% of the average person’s daily fiber requirements. ^[5] This makes this fruit a very heart-friendly addition to one’s everyday diet.

6. Cholesterol Reduction – One of the reasons why apples are so effective at lowering the risk of heart disease is that they have a reducing effect on bad cholesterol. In a 2001 study, researchers observed that when animal subjects were given apples, their levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood decreased, their good cholesterol (HDL) levels increased, and there was more cholesterol in their feces, which suggests that less cholesterol was absorbed by the body. ^[3]

7. Anti-asthma – Researchers have found a specific link between apple consumption and a reduced risk for asthma. This same link has not been found in the general consumption of other fruits and vegetables such as grapefruit, onions, and white cabbage. Apple’s anti-asthma effect is especially prominent when the fruit is consumed at least twice a week. ^[3]

8. Weight Reduction – In a study done on overweight middle-aged women, where the subjects were divided into three groups – the members of the first group were given an apple; the second group, a pear; and the third group, an oatmeal cookie to eat thrice a day for three months – researchers observed that at the end of the period, both the apple and pear groups lost an average of 1.21 kg, while those who had oat cookies did not have any significant changes in weight. ^[3]

9. Anti-cholera – Researchers have found that immature apples contain polyphenols that inhibit the adverse effects of cholera on the body, making the fruit a possible therapeutic agent for treating cholera victims. ^[6]

10. Anti-COPD Symptoms – During a three-year study, researchers examined the effects of flavonoid intake on victims of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The main dietary sources of the flavonoids were either tea or apples. The findings showed that while tea drinking did not produce a significant effect on the subjects, apple consumption resulted in less coughing and breathlessness, leading to the conclusion that a high intake of apples is beneficial for relieving the symptoms of COPD. ^[7]

It merits repeating that the majority of the apple’s health benefits lie in the compounds found most abundantly in the apple’s skin. Unfortunately, the skin of the apple can be tainted with pesticides used in commercial fruit production. To be able to maximize one’s benefit from this fruit, it is a good idea to choose (and wash) organic produce, in which the skin of the apple can be safely consumed.

Apple Juice Recipe by: https://rawfoods-livingfoods.com/apple-juice-recipes.html