Six Ways Apples Keep You Healthy
Apples – An Apple A Day Keeps All Doctors Away Has Truth to this Old Saying
There is no easier way to add a does of nutrition to your day than by crunching on a tasty apple. You probably first experienced its delightful flavor as a baby when apple sauce introduced you to real food. And now, whether it’s a Red Delicious, Pink Lady ( My Fav) a Granny Smith, or Crisp Fuji … you think of apples as an old friend. Grown throughout the world, apples are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are fat free, cholesterol-free, and low in sodium. In short, eating an apple is a smart part of a healthy lifestyle and Healthy Over Fifty!
Regulates You Daily
You will not have to worry about staying regular anymore. Whether your problem is visiting the bathroom too often or not enough, apples can help + Flax Seed.
A British Researcher, Dr. D.P. Burkitt, believes one of the easiest ways to prevent all sorts of illnesses is to avoid constipation. He calls the diseases caused by chronic constipation “Pressure diseases.” Appendicitis, diverticular diseases, hemorrhoids, hiatal hernias, and even varicose veins can all be caused by straining to pass small, hard stools.
Just one apple with its skin contains 4 – 5 grams of fiber – the most important nutrient in keeping your bowels working like a well oiled machine. Keeping yourself regular without relying on harmful laxatives could be as easy as replacing that afternoon snack of potato chips or cookies with a crisp, delicious apple. And think of the calories you will save. The average apple has about 80 calories while a serving of chips weighs in at 150 calories and you will get at least 200+ calories from cookies (Never mind the sugar!).
But that’s not all apples can do. They’re also good for diarrhea, thanks to an ingredient called pectin. This carbohydrate has a congealing effect in your intestines that helps firm things up and return you to normal. Apple sauce is actually the best apple product for diarrhea, since it’s made without the high fiber skin. But watch out for extra sugar. Some brands of apple sauce dump a truckload of sweeteners into an otherwise healthy food, and too much refined sugar can make diarrhea worse.
Keeps Your Body Young
By know you know antioxidants can protect you from many of the diseases that seem to be a part of aging. In fact, so many people are taking supplements for antioxidant protection that it’s become a multibillion-dollar industry. But the evidence is mounting that whole foods can do more than you for pills.
When scientists compared a 1,500-milligram Vitamin C Supplement to one small apple, the results were astounding – the antioxidant values were equal. That means a fresh apple has more than 15 times the antioxidant power of the recommended daily does of Vitamin C. And that’s just for starters. The researchers also found an ordinary apple was able to stop the growth of colon cancer and liver cancer cells in test tubes. Unpeeled apples were especially effective. The question you need to ask yourself is: Why waste money on flavorless supplements when you can get better antioxidant firepower from a sweet, crunchy fruit? Cuts your risk of Heart Disease. Sometimes it’s hard to remember which food is good for which part of your body. The next time you pick an apple, examine it carefully. It is shaped like a heart – and that should help you remember apples are good for your heart.
Magnesium and Potassium in apples are what regulate your blood pressure and keep your heart beating steadily, and it’s the flavonoid quercetin, a naturally occurring antioxidant, that protects your artery walls from damage and keeps your blood flowing smoothly.
In fact, adding flavonoid-rich foods like apples to your diet has been scientifically confirmed to lower your risk of heart disease. There’s proof of this in a study of Japanese women who ate foods high in quercetin. Quercetin is basically a pigment the is in the foods group – called flavonoids – Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Tea, and Wine (yummo wine has some positive results). Foods that contain quercetin include: Onions, Apples, Grapes, Berries, Broccoli, Citrus Fruits, Cherries, Green Tea, Red wine and Capers.The Japanese women in the study eating the apples were less likely to get coronary heart disease than other women and had lower levels of total and LDL or bad Cholesterol.
Strikes at the Heart of Strokes
Apples are a smart choice for helping avoid strokes. Scientists aren’t sure which ingredient in this multi-talented fruit to credit, but the connection is clear – people who regularly eat apples are less likely to have strokes than people who don’t.
Protects Your Joints
In areas of the world where fruits and vegetables make up a large part of the diet, very few people get arthritis. Compared this to modernized countries where fruits and vegetables have been replaced with fast, processed food and you will find up to 70 percent of the population suffers from some sort of arthritis. Just a coincidence? Not according to nutrition experts. They link this trend in part to boron, a trace mineral many plants, including apples, absorb from the soil.
If you eat like most people, you will get about 1 to 2 milligrams (mg) of boron a day, mostly from non-citrus fruits, leafy vegetables, and nuts. Experts believe; however, you need anywhere from 3 to 10 mg a day to affect your risk of arthritis. To boost your boron intake to this level, you would have to eat more than nine apples a day.
This is probably an unreasonable amount for most people and would not be advised … but don’t despair. Pair an apple with other boron-rich foods like a few tablespoons of peanut butter and a large handful of raisins, and you will not only have a delicious afternoon snack, but you will make your joint saving quota of boron at the same time.
Helps You Breathe Deeply
Your lungs are assaulted every day by cigarette smoke (even other people), air pollution, pollen, stuff in the wind, aerosols, and other air-borne nasties.
On top of that perhaps you suffer from asthma, emphysema, or similar lung conditions. If all you want to do is take a deep breath, then grab an apple.
A five-year study of more than 2,500 men from Wales found those who ate five or more apples per week were able to fill their lungs with more air than men who did not eat apples.
Experts believe you might be getting some special protection from the antioxidant quercetin. Unfortunately, eating apples cannot reverse a lung condition you already have, but you might add a new line of defense against further damage.
Pantry Pointers
Buy apples that are not bruised, firm, and have a good color. Take them out of the plastic bag and store in your frig in the produce bin or in a paper bag. Since the apples will absorb odors, keep them away from strong-smelling foods like garlic and onions.
In Summary
Eat at least one apple a day. Your body and teeth will be sooo happy.
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