Apples are healthy

Apples- Fitness for September

    We have all heard “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  

     While it may take more than a daily apple to keep you healthy, it is a step in the right direction. 

     Apples are tasty, an easy snack to carry along, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, and not expensive.

      Apples are for everyone. They’re nutritional treasure: an apple contains only 81 calories, with almost no fat.  Apples are a source of fiber: soluble and insoluble.   The soluble fiber, help prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of arteriosclerosis and heart disease.  The insoluble fiber provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.

     As a source of dietary fiber, apples help aid digestion and promote weight loss.  A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, more than most cereals.  Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol, so they are a delicious snack and dessert food that’s good for you.    

      It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin.  Almost half of the Vitamin C content is just underneath the skin.  Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content.  Most often apple’s fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor.

      Recently seen eating a juicy red Gala variety on their front porch, Quincey Borggard, age 12, and brother, Kellen, age 9, declare: “We love apples!”

      Kids who eat apples may be gaining in the classroom.  Eating apples could be the smart thing to do.

An apple a day now has new meaning for those who want to maintain mental dexterity.  It is especially important as we age.  New research from the   University of Massachusetts suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss, even in test animals that were not prone to developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.  Although more research is needed, these brain health findings are encouraging for all individuals who are interested in staying  mentally sharp as they age.

      Apples also contain hefty amounts of boron, a mineral believed to boost alertness and help curb calcium losses that lead to osteoporosis.

      Apples can combat cancer, stroke, and heart disease and help lungs.  New Harvard research finds 20% less heart disease in apple eaters.  In test tubes, apple antioxidents slowed the growth of human cancer cells 50%.  The peel has the most antioxidants.

     No surprise that apples make the list of protecting lungs.  Chances are you never knew that eating an apple a day is particularly good for your lungs.  All the more so if you smoke.  In a study presented before the American Thoracic Society British researchers said that apples were more effective than other fruits and vegetables in reducing the risk of developing serious disease including lung cancer.  In another study, Dutch scientist found that smokers who ate an apple a day were half as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

      In recent years, apple consumption has been linked with reduced cancer risk in several studies.  A 2001 Mayo Clinic study indicated that Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells.  A Cornell University study indicated phytochemicals in the skin of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 per cent.  The National Cancer Institute has reported that food containing flavonoids like those found in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent.

    New research suggests that both apple pectin and apple juice extracts may enhance the body’s ability to protect from colon cancer. German researchers found that components of apples and apple juice react in the colon and help to slow the growth of precancerous and tumor cells.  This study is published in the scientific journal, Nutrition (April 2008).  Subsequent studies have demonstrated that the components in both apple pectin and apple juice actually enhance biological mechanisms that have anticarcinogenic effects in the colon.