Essential Health Benefits of Eating Apples – Apples, which are packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, are popular healthy fruits. Several apple components are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Apples have beneficial effects on the human body, including improved vascular function and the maintenance of healthy lipid and glucose levels.
Due to their widespread availability, apples are the second-most consumed fruit in the world. They contribute significantly to the total daily diet. Apples exert their cardiovascular protective effect via distinct variables, including improved vascular function as well as decreased blood pressure. In addition, apple polyphenols and fiber have been found to exert anti-inflammatory & anti-hyperglycemic effects.
Apples, which are rich in nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants, provide a range of health benefits, from improving gut health to preventing chronic diseases. Considering their low caloric content, apples are quite filling. Multiple studies have demonstrated the health benefits of apple consumption.
What are the basic health benefits of apples?
1. May reduce cholesterol
Apples contain pectin, a plant-based natural fiber. Recent research published in the European Journal of Nutrition discovered that consuming pectin-rich whole apples had a cholesterol-lowering effect on healthy volunteers in comparison to apple juice. According to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, postmenopausal women who consumed approximately 75 grams of dried apple (approximately two apples) had lower cholesterol levels.
2. May help prevent diabetes
Apples have a low glycemic index (GI) due to their high fibre content. This, along with their high flavonoid content, may help improve insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for both weight management and diabetes prevention.
3. Possibly prevents obesity
Pectin extracted from apples may help regulate the gut microbiome (beneficial gut bacteria), which may help prevent obesity and other inflammatory disorders, according to studies. Human studies appear promising, but additional research is required.
4. May prevent cardiovascular disease
Apples are rich in polyphenols, which are protective plant compounds, one of which is quercetin, a flavonoid. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that those with higher quercetin levels (primarily due to apple consumption) had a reduced risk of several chronic diseases, such as heart disease and asthma.
5. May be advantageous to bone health
The consumption of fruits and vegetables is believed to be associated with increased bone density and better bone health. A study on healthy women suggested that apples, in particular, may reduce the amount of calcium lost from the body, thereby enhancing bone density.
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