apples for health

Can Apples really keep the doctors away?

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Behind the old wives tale: increasing scientific evidence for health benefits of apples

apples galaCIncreasingly modern science are discovering that apples really keep people healthier, protecting people from a range of aging, degenerative, inflammatory and metabolic conditions. 

Apples: health benefits

  • Anti-aging
  • Anti-asthma
  • Cardiovascular health
  • Anti-cancer
  • Blood-sugar regulation
  • Protection against macular degeneration of the eye
  • Protection from Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions

Rich source of health giving nutrients

Apples are an amazingly  rich source of antioxidants, polyphenols, soluble fibre called pectin and vitamin C. Science has discovered great health protective benefits from the high levels of the particular forms of these nutrients found in apples.  The skin especially rather than the flesh is the richest source of apples’ health giving properties.  Read: World’s Healthiest Foods’ article on Apples: health benefits

Irish Independent article

If you were wondering which seasonal
fruits to include with your breakfast muesli or as a healthy snack the article in the Irish Independent gives you one of the answers. Apples are  cheap to buy and always available, the best are usually from friends’ and neighbours’  trees or farmers’ markets. They are even easy to grow.   There seems to be no downside to apples, they are a good food for the whole family and recent studies have shown why apples are so good for us.

Apples can lower LDL cholesterol

Findings by a team of researchers at Florida State University in the US support previous evidence that apples can can be good for the heart. Two apples a day were shown to  reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol in women over 50 by up to 25%.

Apples can protect bowel

In Poland research showed eating two apples a day halved the risk of bowel cancer.

Read article.   Pretty amazing for something so cheap, simple, low calorie and tasty!

Dr Johanna Budwig’s recommendation

Dr Johanna Budwig suggests varying the fruit you eat and always recommends “seasonal” fruit .  Whilst everything can be imported from around the world nowadays homegrown apples are in season fresh from later summer and autumn, whilst other varieties are harvested to be ripened in storage for consumption during winter and spring.

Budwig muesli with seasonal fruit

In the breakfast/lunch muesli the apples are an ideal fruit and you should include the nutrient-rich skin. The whole fruit should be finely chopped or grated.  See: Budwig muesli with seasonal fruit recipe.