An Apple a Day to Keep the Diseases Away?

An Apple a Day to Keep the Diseases Away?
Delicious and crunchy, apple fruit is one of the most popular and favorite fruits among the health conscious, fitness lovers who firmly believe in the concept of “health is wealth.” This wonderful fruit is packed with rich phyto-nutrients that, in the true sense, indispensable for optimal health. The antioxidants in apple have several health promoting and disease prevention properties.

A wealth of research suggests that eating apples may impact your health in a number of beneficial ways:

  • Brain Health: Apples have been found to 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.
  • Stroke: Eating apples is linked to a decreased risk of stroke.
  • Diabetes: Three servings of apples (and other fruits, such as blueberries and grapes) are linked to a 7 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes. This may be due to their beneficial role in blood sugar regulation, as apples contain compounds that may:
  • Lessen absorption of glucose from your digestive tract
  • Stimulate beta cells in your pancreas to secrete insulin
  • Increase uptake of glucose from your blood by stimulating insulin receptors
  • Cancer: Apples have a number of properties that may help reduce the risk of cancer, including antimutagenic activity, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity, as well as "novel mechanisms on epigenetic events and innate immunity." According to the journal Planta Medica: “Apple products have been shown to prevent skin, mammary and colon carcinogenesis in animal models. Epidemiological observations indicate that regular consumption of one or more apples a day may reduce the risk for lung and colon cancer.”
  • Heart Disease: Eating apples are associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease, an association that’s thought to be related to their content of antioxidant flavonoids.
Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1 large apple (8 oz / 242 g) Raw, edible weight portion Calories 130 Calories from Fat 0 *Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Amt per Serving %DV* Amt per Serving %DV*
Total Fat 0g 0% Total Carbohydrate 34g 11%
Cholesterol 0mg 0% Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Sodium 0mg 0% Sugars 25g
Potassium 260mg 7% Protein 1g
Vitamin A 2% Calcium 2%
Vitamin C 8% Iron 2%

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