Apple
Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants,
flavanoids, and dietary fiber. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples
may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and
heart disease. This article provides a nutritional profile of the fruit and its
possible health.
Beneficial About Apples
ü The
phytonutrients in apples can help you regulate your blood sugar. Recent
research has shown that apple polyphenols can help prevent spikes in blood
sugar through a variety of mechanisms. Flavonoids like quercetin found in
apples can inhibit enzymes like alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. Since
these enzymes are involved in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into
simple sugars, your blood sugar has fewer simple sugars to deal with when these
enzymes are inhibited.
ü Even
though apple is not an excellent source of dietary fiber (it ranks as a
"good" source in our WHFoods Rating System), the fiber found in apple
may combine with other apple nutrients to provide you with the kind of health
benefits you would ordinarily only associate with much higher amounts of
dietary fiber. These health benefits are particularly important in prevention
of heart disease through healthy regulation of blood fat levels. Recent
research has shown that intake of apples in their whole food form can
significantly lower many of our blood fats. The fat-lowering effects of apple
have traditionally been associated with its soluble fiber content, and in
particular, with the soluble fiber portion of its polysaccharide component
known as pectins
ü The
whole food form of apples is also important if you want full satisfaction from
eating them. Researchers have recently compared intake of whole apples to
intake of applesauce and apple juice, only to discover that people report less
hunger (and better satiety, or food satisfaction) after eating whole apples
than after eating applesauce or drinking apple juice. But especially
interesting was an additional finding about calorie intake following apple
consumption. When healthy adults consumed one medium-sized apple approximately
15 minutes before a meal, their caloric intake at that meal decreased by an
average of 15%.
üScientists
have recently shown that important health benefits of apples may stem from their
impact on bacteria in the digestive tract. In studies on laboratory animals,
intake of apples is now known to significantly alter amounts of two bacteria (Clostridiales and Bacteriodes)
in the large intestine. As a result of these bacterial changes, metabolism in
the large intestine is also changed, and many of these changes appear to
provide health benefits.
