"An apple a day... "(Yes, you know the rest!)" ...keeps the doctor away." But you may get so many benefits from that apple! Just think if you combined an apple with a Vancouver chiropractic appointment... additional details on that in another article! For now, check out these recently documented nutritional benefits of eating apples.
Slow Aging - Live Longer
Free radicals swirl around us in Vancouver. Apple's antioxidants (polyphenols) fight off the results of free radicals that add to the aging process. As a matter of fact, fruit flies (Crazy but true: fruit flies are often used in longevity trials!) were discovered to live 10% longer when they munched on apples! These little flies were even able to keep walking, climbing, and moving around longer. (1) Even an examination using yeast growth finds that eating the whole apple increases lifespan. (2)
Fight Heart Disease
Healthy, middle-aged adults ate one apple a day for 4 weeks and found their oxidized LDL (the "bad" cholesterol, the low density lipid, that leads to hardening of the arteries) lowered by 40%. (3) Apple pectin (water-soluble fiber) helps prevent cholesterol buildup in the blood vessel walls, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. (4) This advantage is likely due to the pectin’s mixing with other phytonutrients like quercetin in apples which is said to be anti-inflammatory which is good for the heart (and body!), too. (Too bad the Portuguese Bravo de Esmolfe apple isn't readily available in Vancouver! It was found to significantly lower serum levels of triglycerides (27.2%) and total (21%) and LDL cholesterol (20.4%).) (5)
Lose Weight
Eating an apple 15 minutes before a meal reduces caloric intake at the meal by 15%. A medium apple is only about 120 calories. (4) And you want to eat the whole apple because apple juice or applesauce just don't cut it! The fiber from the whole apple makes you feel fuller. (4)
So eat an apple today. Chop one up, and add it to a salad. Try apple slices with a slice of cheese. Binge a bit, and dunk an apple slice in some caramel dip. Apple pies and applesauce and apple butter are all delicious, too, but you can't get any better than whole apple for all its benefits.
Share your apple stories and recipes with Vancouver Disc Centers at your next visit. We can all learn from each other! So, contact your Vancouver chiropractor soon!