You have heard the rhyme, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But what does an apple really do for you? Does any apple work, or only certain kinds? A few answers can be found here.
Medications - A 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine by Davis et al observed that those who consumed one apple a day required less prescription drugs. Those who eat one apple a day probably make other healthy choices as well that contribute to this positive association between apples and reduced drugs.
Heart Disease - A 2017 study published in Molecular Nutrition Food Research by Bondonno et al compared apples high in flavonoids, which are found in the apple skin, with apples low in flavonoids and observed improved blood flow through the brachial arteries when the high flavonoid apples were eaten. In other words, these apples improved the blood flow through the body. The darker red apples that are not too sweet are the apples with high flavonoid content.
Cholesterol – A healthy control of cholesterol has also been improved with an apple a day. A 2017 study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture by GC Tenore compared modern apples with the Annurca apple and observed that two small Annurca apples a day significantly lowered the bad cholesterol and increased the good cholesterol. The Annurca apple is known for its higher flavonoid content. Older, heritage apples typically have high flavonoid and polyphenol content.
Blood Sugar – Those individuals who had a daily intake of apple polyphenols, which are from the skin of the apple, had an improved ability to manage blood sugar compared to individuals who did not consume the polyphenols. This observation was reported in a 2017 study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice by Shoji et al. One possible reason for this improved sugar control is the polyphenols seem to reduce the speed of sugar absorption in the intestines by closing the primary “door” that sugar uses to pass through the intestines, according to Schulze et al in their 2014 published study in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
Colon Health – The ability of the polyphenols of apples to “close the door” on sugar transport to cells is one of the pathways to stop the growth of cancer cells in the colon, as observed in a 2016 study by Lin et al in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. A cancer cell has many “doors” to bring in sugar to accelerate growth, so polyphenols help to close these doors and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The peeling of the apple contains the highest content of effective polyphenols with antioxidant activity, anti-bacterial activity, and anti-cancer activity, which was documented in a 2016 study by Lin et al in the Journal of Food Science.
The older apple varieties that have high polyphenol content include – Braeburn, Jonathan, McIntosh, Gravenstein, and Annurca. Avoid the newer varieties that have been bred for increased sugar content and size.
An apple a day is a key principle for improved health. A personalized health plan that includes an apple a day as part of a whole food program will provide great benefit to whole body health. Many individuals in southern Minnesota have already received their personalized plan and have observed blood sugar levels decrease, cholesterol levels improve, inflammation decrease, acid reflux disappear, and the body shift to a healthy weight.
A free online webinar with Dr. Noel Aldrich, Nutrition Specialist, will be presented on Tuesday, October 27 at 7 pm. “Feel Stuck in a Rut? How to Finally Reset Your Body and Feel Better Than You Have in Years – Without Extreme Diets.” This one-hour session will introduce you to how quality nutrition therapy can help you reach your health goals. Free registration for the webinar is available through this website link: https://wellness.nutritionproportion.net/registration-page
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