Top 10 Health Benefits of Apples

There is some truth behind the famous saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. Apples have numerous health benefits.

Apples are one the most widely cultivated fruits in the world. There are about 7,500 varieties that can be enjoyed raw, in baked desserts and dishes, as applesauce or juice.

Apples contain almost no fat, sodium or cholesterol. Plus, they are packed with many important nutrients such as vitamin C (a powerful natural antioxidant), B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B-6), phytonutrients, fiber, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.

Due to all these nutrients, apples rank high on the list of superfoods.

Here are the top 10 health benefits of apples.

1. Wards Off Cancer

Being a rich source of antioxidants and other phytochemicals, apples help protect cells from cancer-inducing oxidative damage, prevent the start of cancer, stop tumor growth and promote cancer cell death.

Apples are particularly beneficial in preventing colon, breast, liver and lung cancer.

Several studies done by the American Institute for Cancer Research have found that regularly eating apples can suppress breast cancer tumor growth by 17 percent.

Also, eating one or more apples per day can reduce the risk of lung and colon cancer and help maintain a healthy digestive tract.

2. Provides Healthier Heart

Apples are a rich source of phytonutrients known as quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acids that help protect the cardiovascular system from oxidative damage. Oxidation is involved in plaque buildup that leads to different types of heart disease.

The pectin present in apples also helps lower bad cholesterol levels and prevent cholesterol from solidifying and blocking artery walls, which reduces blood flow to the heart.

University of California researchers found that eating two apples or drinking 12 ounces of apple juice daily is associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease.

3. Manages Diabetes

Apples can also lower your risk of diabetes. A study involving 187,382 people found that people who ate three servings of apples per week had a 7 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who did not.

The polyphenols in apples influence the digestion process and absorption of carbohydrates, and this in turn improves regulation of blood sugar.

Also, apples lessen the absorption of glucose in the digestive tract, stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin and increase the flow of sugar out of the bloodstream and into the body’s cells.

All these elements work together to reduce the risk of diabetes as well as manage the disease.

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