Apples are not just your sweet and crunchy treat; instead, consider them as your healthy secret weapon. As old Welsh proverb goes by ‘An apple a day keeps a doctor away.’ But what makes this fruit so special? Well, because it is loaded with nutrition, and also acts as a shield. Read on further to find out some super amazing facts and benefits:
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Nutritional Value:
A medium-sized apple, weighing around182 grams contains the following nutritional values:
95 calories
25g carbs
4g fiber
14% Vitamin C of RDI
6% K of RDI
5% of Vitamin K of RDI
Apples are also high in Polyphenols, which helps prevent heart diseases and regulate body weight.
To get the most out of apples, let the skin stay on, as it contains more than half of the fibers and polyphenols, as recommended by Livin3.
1. Help improve neurological health:
According to a study published in 2006, one of the anti-oxidants found in apples helped reduces cellular death, caused by inflammation and oxidation of neurons.
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2. Healthy Teeth:
When they say that Apple keeps a doctor away, they mean every kind of doctors, even the dentist. Biting and chewing apples stimulate saliva production, decrease tooth decay by lowering bacteria levels. Just munch on an apple whenever you like it, specifically after meals, if you are not near your tooth brush.
3. Weight Loss:
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Apples are not just high in nutrition, but water as well. Studies suggest that people who consumed apples before their meals felt fuller than those who didn’t, resulting in less consumption of food. Another study found that women lost around 1 kg on average, in 10 weeks, just by eating apples.
4. Good bone health:
Want strong bones, but hate milk? Well, no problem, you can always have an apple. Anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory composite in apples help increase bone strength and density. It is an ideal snack for children as well as adults.
5. Protection against stomach injury:
There is a painkiller class; known as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) can cause an injury over the stomach lining. However, you do not need to worry, because apples are to the rescue. How? Apples contain chlorogenic acid and catechin. Moreover, this study was conducted over rats, which should positive results, but, it needs to be confirmed on humans yet.
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6. Boost ones immune system:
Quercetin, an antioxidant found within apples, is proven to boost and improve one’s immune system. Especially, when all that stress is over you, and you have messed up your immune system, unexpectedly, an apple can help you out. After all, a healthy immune means a healthy you.
7. Avert hemorrhoids:
Swollen veins in the anal canal, known as hemorrhoids, though, are not lethal, yet can be really painful. These are caused due to excessive pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Apples, rich in fiber can cause relief in such a situation. If worse come to worst you can always treat hemorrhoids with home remedies made from essential oils. Read this interesting blogpost to learn how.
8. Fights Cancer:
After berries, apples are one of the most powerful antioxidants, when it comes to a fight against cancer. According to an analysis of different studies conducted in Italy, eating one or more apples everyday assisted in reducing the threat of cancer, more than consuming any other fruit. However, do not sling the peel, because there is where actual cancer-fighting nutrients are found.
source:vitacost.com
9. Improves skin condition:
For all the beauty conscious people out there, you do not apply loads of makeup or creams in order to hide those spots or wrinkles, instead just start having apples, and see the results for yourself. Powerful antioxidants present within apples fight the destructing effect of free radical that is directly related to premature aging, wrinkles, and other such skin condition. Apples also promote blood circulation, keeping skin young and toned.
10. Prevents Gallstones:
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In this era of fast and oily food, gall stones have become pretty common. However, you do not need to put a break over your diet, instead just add an apple to your lifestyle. Apples are rich in pectin, that help control cholesterol, that may solidify into gallstones.
Isn’t it annoying to go to the store every day, to pick up a few apples, because they rot away quickly? Not an issue now, because here are a few tips to keep in mind while buying apples:
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- Always buy apples that are firm, and not soft, from anywhere.
- Wrinkled apples have aged, hence lost all their health benefits and nutritional value.
- Do not pick apples that seem to be bruised or unusually soft.
- Do not store overripe apples with firm ones.
- Ripe apples release a compound gas, which may stimulate rapid ripening, and rotting of other apples, hence store them separately, and it is better to consume apples when they are ripe because they are at their maturity.
Apples are pretty healthy for one, and consuming them quite often demotes major health risk, like neurological diseases, heart diseases. But for greater benefits, it should be consumed with the peel. But why just consume a boring apple, when you can make it a smoothie, with mix and match of different fruits.
