Granny smith, gala, ambrosia… yummy. I’ve never really understood how people cannot like apples. They are so delicious, and can be eaten in such a nice variety of ways. Eat them right off the tree, put them in a salad, drown them in peanut butter, bake them in a pie, cover them in caramel… really, the list goes on and on. But besides the fact of being delicious, there are other reasons why I love this fruit.
Varieties of Apples
The saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” definitely holds some truth to it. There are many health benefits included in eating apples, and I’ll highlight a few of them. First of all, apples have been shown to be great for the heart. A recent study out of the University of Michigan found that rodents with identical diets, except for one also eating apples, had much different results with regards to blood pressure and overall heart function at the end of the study. The rodents who had apples added to their diets had lowered blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and also reduced oxidative stress.
A professor from Ohio State University briefly talking about the benefits that apples provide to the heart.
Another reason to eat apples is to help with the prevention of cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research shows that from eating one apple, we receive 10 percent of our needed daily intake of fiber and vitamin C. From these specific nutrients, we help reduce the risk of getting such colon and esophageal cancers. They also mention that apples have phytochemicals, which play a role in cancer prevention. Phytochemicals are chemicals which benefit are health, but are not ranked high enough to be considered essential.
These are only a few of the perks when including apples in our diets. Don’t enjoy eating them raw? As I said earlier, this scrumptious fruit can be served in a variety of ways, such as hot apple cider, apple sauce, or apple muffins.
Eat an apple a day– don’t delay!
Chelsea Forbes
