Best Super Foods: Apples
Thursday, May 1st, 2008If I feel dehydrated and water isn’t doing the trick, I always grab an apple. I always have one in my bag waiting to eat if I feel peckish (the English word for “I need a bit of a snack…”).
New research is showing that this juicy fruit will truly keep the doctor away, including the cancer doctor.
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has identified a dozen compounds called triterpenoids in apple peels that either inhibit or kill cancer cells in the lab. Three of these triterpenoids have never been identified before. Dr. Liu, who led the study, sys they keep cells from proliferating, which protects against human liver, colon and breast cancer cells.
Another study of 10,000 people, found that people who ate the most apples had a 50 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Scientists think that this is most likely due to the high levels of the flavonoids quercetin and naringin in apples.
Besides cancer protection and the juicy crunch it provides, here are 10 other reasons to include eating an apple as part of your daily activities.
Crunchy Apples, Strong Bones
French researchers discovered a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples. It may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Apples also contain Boron, which strengthens bones.
No More Asthma Attacks with this Super Delight
A study has shown that children with asthma who drank apple juice on a daily basis were less likely to suffer from less wheezing than children who drank apple juice only once per month. Another study showed that children born to women who eat a lot of apples during pregnancy have lower rates of asthma than children whose mothers ate few apples.
An Apple a Day will keep you Sane!
A study on mice at
Happy Cholesterol
The pectin in apples lowers the LDL cholesterol. People who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16 percent. I have only been eating one, but as I have done the research for this article, I may enjoy a second.
Balanced Blood Sugar Levels = A Balanced Life
The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help to prevent and manage diabetes. Keeping blood sugars balanced is one of the most important things we can do to stay healthy, live long and feel fantastic.
Weight Loss
A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat fruit while dieting. And we all know that if we are overweight, it is time to get in shape and lose weight!
But remember, if you are going to drink apple juice, you may prefer to juice you own apples, as even organic apple juice is pasteurized (seriously heated) which kills off a lot of the vital goodness. Further, apples are near the top of the list for foods that are most essentially organic. Perhaps it is due to their thin skin, but apples are more likely to absorb pesticides.
