September is apple picking season. The American tradition of visiting farms to harvest the most popular fruit in the United States is a beloved activity for everyone, children and adults alike, even those who are not big fans of the event’s star. After all, who doesn’t enjoy savoring apple cider donuts, paired with a glass of cider, while listening to some good country music?
The most popular fruit in America — currently weighing down branches in orchards across the country — is packed with health benefits. The New York Times published a summary of what nutrition experts have to say about apples.
They are good for your gut
Apples are rich in dietary fiber. This fiber acts as food for many of the species of bacteria that reside in our intestines. These bacteria have a powerful impact on our health, affecting everything from cancer risk to weight and mood.
It has been shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, including apples, increases the number of beneficial bacteria and decreases the number of harmful bacteria in people’s intestines.
Moreover, apples themselves contain a variety of beneficial bacteria. One study found that apples have a greater variety of bacteria than most fruits. When you eat an apple, some of these bacteria can become part of your microbiome. The apple then acts as a probiotic.
They are heart-healthy
Apples have large amounts of pectin, a dietary fiber that can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In a 2012 study, 160 postmenopausal women ate 75 grams of dried apples (equivalent to about two medium apples) or prunes every day for a year. After six months, the women who consumed apples had a 13% drop in total cholesterol and a 24% drop in LDL “bad” cholesterol, while the women who ate prunes had a 3.5% drop in total cholesterol and an 8% drop in LDL cholesterol.
They may reduce chronic inflammation
The polyphenols in apples may reduce inflammation — and in turn, possibly help lower the risk of diseases. Researchers published a study in August that analyzed health data from over 119,000 people collected over nearly 20 years, including records of everything they ate over a 24-hour period on five different occasions. The study found that those who reported eating more than two apples a day in their meal records had a 30% lower chance of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease later on. The study found that the association between apples and COPD risk was also linked to a reduction in inflammatory markers.
How to consume them?
Apples are most nutritious when you leave the skin on, after all, it is the skin that contains those powerful polyphenols (and much of the fiber). You should wash apples well before eating them to avoid exposure to pesticides.
In general, a darker-colored apple will have a richer variety of polyphenols, but more important than selecting the reddest apple is to eat a variety of apples, so you can absorb as many different polyphenols as possible.
Source: The New York Times