healthieru“An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away”
We have all heard the old adage “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away”. What is I were to tell you that there is more truth in that saying than you could ever imagine.
In the United States there are over 1.8 million deaths each year that are directly related to not eating a healthy diet and practicing a healthful lifestyle.
Is an apple a day the cure all…well no! But if you started tomorrow, with a new habit of eating an apple every day, 365 days a year, guess what? You are living a healthier lifestyle than you are living Right Now! How easy was that? If you can do this every day for 90 to 120 days straight, you have created a new, healthy habit that will serve you well for the rest of your life! Now that wasn’t so hard was it?
So What Is In An Apple?
First we need to define our apple; a medium sized apple is 100 grams. A rw, unpeeled, medium-sized apple contains 0.3 grams of protein, 13.8 grams of carbs, 10.4 grams of sugar, 2.4 grams of fiber and about 73.1 grams of water. So as we see an apple is mostly composed of carbs and water. We also see that they are rich in simple sugars, such as fructose, sucrose, and glucose.
Despite their high carb and sugar content, their glycemic index (GI) is low. The GI is a measure of how a food affects the rise in blood sugar levels. Due to their high fiber and polyphenol counts, apples have a low GI score, ranging from 29-40.
A medium sized apple contains about 4 grams of fiber, which is 17% of the Daily Value (DV) recommended. Fiber helps improve fullness and weight loss, while lowering blood sugar levels and boosting digestive function.
Apples boast many vitamins and minerals, though not in high amounts. Apples are a good source of Vitamin C and Potassium; other vitamins and minerals not so much.
They are high in various antioxidant plant compounds (micro-nutrients), which are mainly responcable for their health benefits. Apples have been proven to contain Quescetin, Catechin, and Chlorogenic acid. Quescetin prodies anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticancer, and antidepressant effects, according to animal studies. Catechin is an antioxidant shown to improve brain and muscle functions in animal studies. Chlorogenic acid has been found to lower blood sugar and cause weight loss.
Ok so apples have been proven to support weight loss. They have also been proven to control blood sugar and type 2 diabetes, control blood cholesterol and heart disease, and they are also linked to the prevention of certain types of cancer.
Well that is a lot of good stuff. So what is the down side? Is there a down side to apples?
Apples may potentially cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in some people because they contain FODMAPs (a wide category of fiber that causes digestive symptom such as gas and abdominal pain, in some people.
In Summary
Apples are healthy, tasty, and one of the most popular fruits. Although they are not particularly rich in vitamins and minerals, they’re a good source of fibers and antioxidants. Apples may have several benefits, including improved heart health and a lower risk of cancer and diabetes. They may also aid weight loss. Apples are generally considered healthy but may cause digestive problems in some people. If you want to eat healthy, apples are an excellent choice.
