Apples are good for you. Not only are they delicious, they contain certain substances that would help to maintain healthy bodies. Apples are a rich source of dietary fibre. The typical nutrients found in a typical apple can be summarised in the figure below.
Figure taken from http://www.bestapples.com/healthy/index.html
Moreover, apples are rich sources of phytochemicals (compounds found in plants, fruits, and vegetables that can act as anti-oxidants). Apples and apple juices are the best source for mineral boron which helps to promote bone growth. In addition, the high fibre content helps in slow release of sugars into the body, thereby helps to maintain a steady blood sugar level.
There are many benefits from eating apples. "A apple a day keeps the doctor away" has an increasing number of supportive scientific evidences for its claim. It has been found that eating apples helps to reduce blood cholesterol, improve bowel function, reduce risk of stroke, prostate cancer, Type II diabetes and asthma. This is due to the fibre and phytonutrients present in the apples.
Recent researches have shown that eating apples are linked to reducing cancer risk in several studies. Some examples are :
- Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples has been found to help prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells
- Phytonutrients in the skin of apples inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells by 43%
- Food containing flavonoids like those in apples may reduce risk of lung cancer as much as 50%
- Dietary phenolics such as flavonoids (found in apples) have inhibitory effects on the developments of carcinogenic substances in the bladder, thereby reducing risk of bladder cancer, especially in smokers
Moreover, eating apples could improve lung function and reduce the risk of respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to antioxidants present in apples that would counter the oxygen's damaging effects on the body as well as the flavonoids such as catechins (present in apples and tea).
In addition, studies have shown that a diet rich in apples could help to lower the blood cholesterol level. Pectin, a soluble fibre found in apples has been thought to play a significant role in this. In fact, apple juice has been found to inhibit the oxidation of a harm form of cholesterol (LDL, or low-density lipoprotein).
Besides therapeutic benefits, apples are also found to play a role in inhibiting ageing-related problems, preventing wrinkles and promoting hair growth (due to compound named procyanidin B-2).
For those weight-watchers, this is good new as pples are delicious source of dietary fibre and helps to aid digestion and promote weight loss.