An Apple a Day...
By: Anne JohnsonQuick! Name ten kinds of apples! Pink lady, honey crisp, Fuji, red delicious, golden delicious, Gala, McIntosh, Jazz, Granny Smith, Jonathan … recognize any of these varieties? Now, how many of them have you EATEN in the past 30 days? What's your favorite apple?
The old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" may be a rhyme you learned as a child, but you might be surprised to learn that apples offer great health benefits:
Apples are full of soluble fiber (approx. 5 grams). This fiber has been shown to reduce intestinal disorders, including diverticulitis,
hemorrhoids and possibly some types of cancer. Fiber cleanses and detoxifies and helps to control insulin levels by releasing sugar
slowly into the bloodstream.
Apple pectin helps reduce cholesterol levels by lowering insulin secretion.
An apple has only 50 to 80 calories, and they contain no fat or sodium.
Eating an apple before a meal can help women lose weight because they help you feel fuller.
Apples strengthen the heart, quench thirst, lubricate the lungs, decrease mucous and increase body fluids.
Apple cider vinegar can help prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Apples are packed with vitamins C, A and small amounts of phosphorus, iron and calcium.
Apples provide a source of potassium which may promote heart health and reduce skin diseases.
There are more than 7,500 varieties of apples, so try some new kinds this summer. Go visit an orchard and pick your own apples.