5 Impressive Health Benefits of Apples

 

1. Apples Are Nutritious

A medium apple — with a diameter of about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) — equals 1.5 cups of fruit. Two cups of fruit daily are recommended on a 2,000-calorie diet.

One medium apple — 6.4 ounces or 182 grams — offers the following nutrients

  • Carbs: 25 grams
  • Fiber: 4 grams
  • Vitamin C: 14% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
  • Potassium: 6% of the RDI

Apples are high in fiber and water — two qualities that make them filling.

In one study, people who ate apple slices before a meal felt fuller than those who consumed applesauce, apple juice, or no apple products .

In the same study, those who started their meal with apple slices also ate an average of 200 fewer calories than those who didn’t.

In another 10-week study in 50 overweight women, participants who ate apples lost an average of 2 pounds (1 kg) and ate fewer calories overall, compared to those who ate oat cookies with a similar calorie and fiber content .

Researchers think that apples are more filling because they’re less energy-dense, yet still deliver and volume.

Apples have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

One reason may be that apples contain soluble fiber — the kind that can help lower your blood cholesterol levels.

They also contain polyphenols, which have antioxidant effects. Many of these are concentrated in the peel.

One of these polyphenols is the flavonoid epicatechin, which may lower blood pressure.

An analysis of studies found that high intakes of flavonoids were linked to a 20% lower risk of stroke .

Flavonoids can help prevent heart disease by lowering blood pressure, reducing “bad” LDL oxidation, and acting as antioxidants.

Another study comparing the effects of eating an apple a day to taking statins — a class of drugs known to lower cholestrol — concluded that apples would be almost as effective at reducing death from heart disease as the drugs.

Several studies have linked eating apples to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

In one large study, eating an apple a day was linked to a 28% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to not eating any apples. Even eating just a few apples per week had a similarly protective effect.

It’s possible that the polyphenols in apples help prevent tissue damage to beta cells in your pancreas. Beta cells produce insulin in your body and are often damaged in people with type 2 diabetes.

Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic This means it feeds the good bacteria in your gut.

Your small intestine doesn’t absorb fiber during digestion. Instead, it goes to your colon, where it can promote the growth of good bactaria. It also turns into other helpful compounds that circulate back through your body.

New research suggests that this may be the reason behind some of the protective effects of apples against obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

 

 

 

 

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