Healthy Plants: Apples

"An apple a day keeps the Doctor away"

Where did the saying “an apple day keeps the doctor away” come from?

The phrase was first used in the 1860s from an old saying in Pembrokeshire in Wales. The original phrase was, “eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” Over the years, it had been changed and shortened to accommodate modern language and the most common version used today was first used in 1922. Due to the phrase, there has been research conducted to see if eating an apple each day can actually reduce the number of visits to the doctor’s office. In 2011, a Dutch study found that eating apples and pears can help reduce the chances of having a stroke. In 2012, Ohio State University found that eating an apple a day helped lower the level of bad cholesterol in middle-aged adults. Overall, the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” seems to be pretty accurate!

What are the health benefits of apples?

They are really nutritious:

A medium sized apple is equivalent to eating 1.5 cups of fruit. They are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and polyphenols. Polyphenols can help increase an individual’s energy level, improve digestion, block histamine which causes allergic reactions (like itching and inflammation), decreases organ fat and manage fat cells, increase muscle strength, lower cholesterol, etc. If apples aren’t your thing, but you still want the health benefits of an apple’s polyphenol, there is a 100% pure apple polyphenol extract (ROS) that is a good substitution for apples that doctors recommend!

Weight loss:

Apples can be very filling since they are high in fiber and water. Studies have shown that eating an apple, as opposed to applesauce, juice, or non-apple products can make an individual more full while taking in 200 fewer calories than those who don’t eat the fruit. Since an individual will feel fuller, they won’t have the drive to keep eating, therefore it will help them lose the weight.

Promote a healthy gut:

The pectin in apples is a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic, meaning it feeds the good bacteria in the gut. Research has shown that pectin might be the reason for an apples ability to prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease in an individual.

Good for bone health:

Eating apples are also linked to a higher bone density, meaning better bone health, because of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that it contains. A study had shown that those who ate fresh apples, lost less calcium than the other groups.

Good for an aging brain:

An animal study showed that drinking apple juice reduced the harmful reactive oxygen species in brain tissue and minimized mental decline. The juice can preserve acetylcholine which declines as we get older. Research has shown that low levels of acetylcholine are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Do all apples have the same health benefits?

All apples are good for you, but studies have shown that eating Granny Smith apples promote the growth of friendly bacteria in the colon. Additionally, Red Delicious, Northern Spy, and Ida Red have the highest amount of antioxidants and polyphenols.

Is there anything to watch out for when eating apples?

Apples are acidic, and the juice can damage tooth enamel. I grew up thinking that the core of an apple is extremely toxic and shouldn’t eat it, while in reality, you actually can. If you chew or swallow a few apple seeds, it might produce a small amount of hydrogen cyanide (which is toxic), but the amount is so small that the body can just flush it out during digestion. I personally will not try this at home, but people have eaten the seeds and lived to tell the tale. Basically, eating an apple a day is okay!