Health Benefits - Apple
The humble apple, whatever type or color you choose, is extremely beneficial health wise, especially if it is organically grown. Although the apple is generally low in the most comon listed vitamins and minerals ... it does contain other important nutrients and enzymes which are essential for optimal health. This is the case with boron, a trace mineral that many diets lack.
Brain Health - Alzheimers - Anti-Oxidants - Beta Amyloid - Apple
So, A is for apple and antioxidents, and B is for boron, which you need for your brain. Because apples are powerful in antioxidents, they will help your brain make more acetylcholine, which acts like a neurotranmitter in relaying messages to other nerve cells in your brain. People with Alzheimer's disease build up a protein in their brain called beta amyloid, which forms sticky patches on their nerves. The high levels of beta amyloid result in less acetylcholine, which means less messages being relayed to other nerve cells in the brain.
Bone Health - Arthritis - Boron - Apple
Boron will help you use calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, all vital for strong bones and joints. And guess what? Too little boron puts you at greater risk for arthritis. People that live in places where there is less boron in the soil and thus also less in plant foods like apples, have a greater risk of arthritis. You can get an excellent helping of boron in apples and apple juice, which may ease arthritis symptoms. In the SAD (Standard American Diet), apples and apple juice rank in the top 10 boron sources ... and the food sources are the best.
Cancer - Pectin - Apple
Another incredible ingredient in the humble organic apple is pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber in apples that is another cancer-fighting ingredient. Pectin is usually used as a gelling agent for jams and yogurt and although it can kill up to 40% of cancer cells, it does not kill healthy cells.
Cancer - Breast - Colon - Liver - Lung - Quercetin - Apple
Quercetin is a potent antioxident that stops tumor cell growth and works against cancers of the lung, breast, liver and colon. In Hawaii, yet another study was done that found that people who ate more apples and onions - both being high in quercetin - had a lower risk of lung cancer.
Cancer - Triterpenoids - Apple
The apple peel also stores natural plant compounds called triterpenoids, which either kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. If you prefer apple juice better than eating the whole apple, go with organic cider that is unfiltered. It is made from shredded whole apples including the peel.
Digestive Health - Fiber - Apple
Next on the list is fiber. You know, the tough stuff that gives carrots and celery their crunch and whole wheat bread its heartiness but which is totally lacking in flesh and dairy products. There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. The soluble fiber from oats, barley, bananas. dried beans and apples, forms a gel in your intestines to move out fatty substances. The insoluble fiber from wheat bran, brown rice, broccoli and yes, apples, is called roughage.
Rather than break down completely during digestion it, instead, holds on to water and bulks up stool. It kind of acts like a broom sweeping food through your intestines quickly. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are essential in preventing constipation. As previously stated, apples provide both types of fiber - about two-thirds insoluble and one-third soluble in the form of pectin. A whole medium apple will give you about four grams of fiber. Remove the peel and you are down to two grams.
Heart Health - Blood Pressure - Apple
Research has found that adults who eat apples and apple products have less abdominal fat as well as lower blood pressure and a reduced risk for developing metabolic syndrome, which can lead to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Bear in mind that what is lacking in your diet could be as much of a problem as what's in it.
Heart Health - Cholesterol - Anti-Oxidants - Flavanoids - Apple
Organic apples are also essential in the battle against high cholesterol and heart disease. These incredibly super nutrients will help your heart by lowering inflammation and keeping blood platelets from sticking together. In fact, the flavonoids in apples, along with other fruits and vegetables, nuts and herbs, work as antioxidents benefiting your heart because they stop the oxidation of LDL cholesterol - the "bad" kind - and protect against hardening of the arteries.
Oatmeal ads, describe how soluble fiber like pectin and psyllium husk helps lower cholesterol because it soaks up water in the intestines and forms a gel or a gooey mass that slows down digestion. This equates to the slower digestion of starches and sugars, which means that cholesterol levels go down over time.
Lung Health - Chronic Bronchitis - Anti-Oxidants - Apple
It is never too late to begin your apple-a day habit. So many seniors suffer with breathing trouble caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is the technical term for both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and it's the fourth most common cause of death in the US. The experts think that the antioxidants in apples help repair lung damage that can lead to COPD.
Lung Health - Inflammation - Phytochemicals - Apple
Eating apples at every stage of life will help keep your lungs strong and healthy because the phytochemicals abounding in apples work by reducing inflammation in the airways leading to less wheezing and asthma.
In fact, studies done in Finland, Wales, England, the USA and Singapore all had similar results: eating apples helped people breathe better. New evidence has been revealed that pregnant women who eat lots of apples have a stronger chance of protecting their babies from wheezing or developing asthama in childhood. Of course, once vaccinations come into play, all bets are off.
And yes, an organic apple a day can keep the doctor away.
Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/apples.html
Learn more: http://nutrionomics.com/
|