Apple

Very delicious, full of rich nutrients, widely consumed all over the world, and available year round – that’s an apple for you. An apple a day keeps the doctor away – seriously, they could not have come up with a better saying. Regular consumption of apples can provide many vital nutrients and can help prevent a lot of health problems. Let us take a look at the health benefits of apple now.

Apple has three important nutrients – antioxidants, fibers, and simple sugars.

• Apple is a very rich source of antioxidants. It contains flavonoids and polyphenols, both of which are powerful antioxidants. Apple’s skin contains quercetin, which is a very powerful flavonoid. According to researchers, flavonoids help prevent cardiac disease in humans. When consumed regularly, flavonoids can lower the risk of cardiac disease by 20%. A 100g of apple is equivalent to 1500mg of vitamin C in terms of antioxidant content.

• The antioxidants present in apple fight the free radicals in the body that tend to damage DNA. They also reduce the risk of cancer significantly.

• Apple is one of the richest sources of both soluble and insoluble fibers. A medium unpeeled apple has around 3 grams of fiber. The fiber content in apple can bring down cholesterol levels significantly and reduce the risk of heart diseases and stroke.

• The insoluble fiber present in apple helps remove the LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol, from the body. The soluble fiber reduces the amount of LDL cholesterol produced in liver. By eating two apples a day, you can bring down your cholesterol levels by 16%.

• The soluble fiber in apple also helps remove the toxins and heavy metals like lead and mercury from the system.

• The rich fiber content in apple ensures regular bowel movement. Eating one or two apples a day regularly can help you stay away from constipation. The soluble fiber present in apple, pectin, also has the ability the firm up excessively loose stool and is thus used as a natural medication for diarrhea.

• The simple sugar in apple – fructose – is the one that breaks down slowly and helps keep your blood sugar levels stable.

• Regular consumption of apple can help prevent kidney stones. The antioxidants in apple are also known to protect the skin from various skin diseases.

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