News - Nutrition
Apple a day!
Apple a day.
By Nick Lynch S.S.C, C.F.T.
Tis the season to eat apples everyday and keep the doctor happy! Orchards are flowing with fresh, tasty and nutritious apples ready for your consumption. Here in this article you are reading I will be listing the health benefits you will reap from eating the magical round creations courtesy of Mother Nature.
First off lets focus on the kinds of anti-oxidants such as quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid to name a few. These anti-oxidants will help your heart function better by keeping the walls of your heart strong and protected from oxygen damage. Naturally your heart will have some oxygen damage through the blood streams transportation of oxygen in the blood. With this going on you will want to have all the help you can get, that help is anti-oxidants.
Apples have lots of good fiber, which will help fight cholesterol. How much fiber? 4 grams or 15% of your daily value in a medium sized apple to be more exact. Both insoluble and soluble fibers are in apples, which help keep the LDL cholesterol levels low and healthy.
More goodies to be found in apples to keep you feeling great, living longer and stronger are flavonoids. These are mostly found on the skins and pulp of apples. What do these flavonoids do that is so great? Well, they protect those awesome anti-oxidants so their job can be done right, they are an anti-inflammatory food, prevent clumping of blood platelets, fight off over production of fat in your liver and they regulate blood pressure.
After taking in all these wonderful nutrients how could your body not have a lower risk for cancer, asthma, lung diseases, heart attack and stroke? All the nutrients in apples will help you live a longer, healthier and happier life. They taste great, are affordable and can be consumed with almost any food. Organic apples are preferable as the skins are important and are most exposed to pesticide applications. Check out the apple recipe posted 10-19-09 for some ideas of how to enjoy apples.
