Apples are one of the most nutritious fruits that are highly recommended in a diet. Adding fruits to your diet boosts your body’s immunity. Doctors have provided many health benefits of eating apples, which corroborates the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” They taste delicious and are used in many healthy recipes. So, let’s discover the benefits of eating this nutrition-packed fruit.
Nutrients Present In Apples
- Vitamin C: It is a potent natural antioxidant capable of blocking some of the damage caused by free radicals. It also helps in boosting the body’s resistance against infectious agents.
- B-complex Vitamins: Vitamins like riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B6 play a key role in maintaining red blood cells and the nervous system in good health.
- Dietary Fiber: A diet high in fiber can help prevent the development of certain diseases (colon cancer, obesity, etc.) and may help prevent the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood from rising.
- Polyphenolic Compounds: Apples are rich in polyphenolic compounds, which protect our body from the harmful effects of free radicals.
- Essential Minerals: Apples contain minerals such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Health Benefits Of Eating Apples
- Apples contain sugar, but the sugar found in apples is fructose. When the fructose is consumed in the form of whole fruit, it has little impact on blood sugar levels.
- The fiber in apples delays the digestion and absorption of sugar. This means sugar enters the bloodstream slowly and doesn’t cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels.
- Polyphenols, plant compounds found in apples, slow down the digestion of carbs and lower blood sugar levels.
- The glycemic index (GI) and the glycemic load (GL) are essential tools to measure how much food affects blood sugar levels. Apples score relatively low on both the GI and GL scale-wise, meaning that they cause a minimal rise in blood sugar levels. In a study of 12 obese women, blood sugar levels were over 50% lower after consuming a meal with low GL food than a meal with high GL foods.
- Apples contain plant compounds that improve insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin resistance. Some beneficial antioxidants are found in plants are:
- Quercetin delays down carb digestion, helping prevent blood sugar spikes.
- Chlorogenic acid helps our body to use sugar more efficiently.
- Phloridzin delays down sugar absorption and lowers blood sugar levels.
- The highest concentrations of beneficial antioxidants are found in Red Delicious Apples. Apples on a regular basis may help prevent type 2 diabetes, as well as keep your blood sugar levels stable.
- The National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) study showed that people who had eaten apples in any form over the past days were 27% less likely to have metabolic syndrome.
- Quercetin, a phytonutrient in apples, helps make more oxygen available to our lungs, helping them keep healthy and fit.
- Apples boost lung health. Apples’ anti-inflammatory properties play a vital role in protecting the lungs from chronic inflammation. Eating apples may help to decrease the risk of asthma attacks.
- Apples enhance gut health as it can help increase the number of healthy bacteria in your gut.
More About Apples
Side Effects Of Eating Apples
- Apple seeds contain cyanide. Eating too many apple seeds can be potentially fatal to your health.
- Apples are fairly acidic; they could be up to four times more damaging to teeth than carbonated drinks.
Daily Intake Of Apples
The daily intake of fiber is 25 grams for women, 38 grams for men. The skin of an apple alone gives 3 grams of fiber, about 12 percent of the recommended daily intake.
How To Store Apples?
If you refrigerate apples, it will help the slow ripening of the fruit. It maintains its flavor and preserves nutrients. You can use a cold storage area in your cellar to store the apples.
Different Ways To Consume Apples
• By spreading apple slices with peanut or almond butter for a filling. It is a healthy snack for people with blood sugar levels.
• Adding the diced apples to a salad for crunch and flavor elevates the taste.
• Satisfying a sweet tooth by eating an apple with a small amount of dark chocolate. The combination of antioxidants in both of these foods helps to fight heart disease.
• Baking an apple in the oven and sprinkle it with cinnamon. You can even top it with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Read Also: Pros And Cons Of Eating Apples When You Have Diabetes
