Can this be true?? Is the secret to health contained in one simple apple a day???
Should we all be making sure that we are eating an apple every day to maintain health?
Well, the answer is simply NO. It is true that an apple is an amazing food packed with a whole lot of nutrition and is a great part of a balanced diet however an apple doesn’t replace unhealthy dietary habits for the rest of the day and doesn’t need to be consumed on a daily basis to be healthy.
That being said, you should absolutely enjoy apples (especially when in season) as part of a balanced, healthy diet!
Here are some reasons I am an apple lovin’ nutritionist
Antioxidant rich – Quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid are all important antioxidants found in apples that are important for heart health. Quercetin in particular is beneficial for people who suffer from allergies. Quercetin reduces histamine release; therefore keeping you sniffle free and prevent you from wanting to scratch your eyeballs out! If you suffer from allergies you may want to talk to your health care provider about taking Quercetin in a supplement form to achieve a therapeutic dose. May also be beneficial for asthma sufferers.
Vitamin C – While not the best source of vitamin C out there, apples still contain a good amount of this immune supporting vitamin. Approximately, 8 grams per medium size apple! Vitamin C is needed to keep our immune systems healthy, for collagen production, for healthy gums, wound healing, to name a few!
Fibre – 4 grams of colon loving fibre, helping keep you regular. A diet rich in fibre is important for the prevention of many cancers, in particular colon cancer. Pectin, found in apples is a “gel like” soluble fibre that aids in colon cleansing and can help lower cholesterol by binding to it and pulling it out of your body.
Important notes:
- Processing apples into juice greatly reduces the antioxidant potential. Apple juice contains only a mere 10% of the antioxidant potential than fresh apples. You also lose all of the colon loving fibre!
- Also, most of the key nutrients in apples reside in the skin; therefore enjoy the whole apple, peals and all!
- Apples are part of the dirty dozen (according the ewg.org) therefore should eat organic when possible!
Here are my favourite ways to enjoy apples:
- Sliced and topped with a tablespoon of almond butter
- Chopped and added to a salad
- Apple sauce – Chop your favourite apple and cook with a touch of water until apples are soft. Add some cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. Blend and enjoy!
- Raw apple sauce – Blend raw apples and add a touch of cinnamon. Enjoy!
- Baked apples – Core, add some goodies such as currents, raisins, cinnamon, honey, etc. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top. Bake in a 350F oven until soft for about 1 hour.
- Apple Crisp of course! Here is a link to my favourite gluten free apple crumble recipe by the lovely Elana at Elana’s Pantry http://www.elanaspantry.com/apple-crisp/
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