I’m yet to meet a person who doesn’t like fruits. Many fruits are super refreshing and hydrating. Fruits are undoubtedly one of God’s best gifts to us. While the growth process may be long and time-consuming for farmers, I’m sure they experience a different kind of joy when they see the fruits of their labour (pun intended).
That said, apples are fruits that are loved by many. They come in all shades of reds, greens, and yellows. The apple tree is originally from the tempered areas of Europe, the western area of Turkestan, and the southeast and centre of Asia. It has been consumed for a very long time. In Switzerland and Italy, there are proofs of apple trees from about 4,500 years ago.
Here are the health benefits of sweet fruit.
- Protection of the heart
Heart-related conditions are becoming more and more common in our world today. While some are a result of genes, our lifestyle may heavily be a cause for worry. That’s why you might want to indulge in foods that protect the heart. In research, eating apples daily appeared to lower levels of cholesterol and two other markers associated with plaques and inflammation in artery walls. How does this work? They contain strong antioxidant flavonoids compounds such as quercetin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, kaempferol, and other polysyllabic wonders that play a key role in preventing LDL cholesterol from oxidizing.
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- Gut health
Apples boost the health of your gut, and subsequently your digestive system. They have pectin, which is considered a prebiotic. What’s more, it may help inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract, such as clostridium and Bacteroides. It contains fibre, which goes to your colon, where it can promote the growth of good bacteria. It also turns into other helpful compounds that circulate back through your body.
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- Prevents diarrhoea and constipation
Almost everyone has experienced constipation and diarrhoea at one point or the other in life. It is super uncomfortable and painful. Luckily, apples can help with that. The insoluble fibre in apples, on the other hand, is present in the skin of apples. It is the one which helps in forming the bulk of stools, eases bowel movements, and relieves constipation.
On the other hand, apples also contain soluble fibre. Soluble fibre is the one that forms gel-like consistency in stools and slows down digestion. So, if you have diarrhoea, you should have the pulp of the fruit without the skin.
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- Helps with weight loss
For those who are looking to lose some weight, here is a great alternative for you. Apples are high in fibre and water, which makes them give satiety value. In a 10-week study of 50 overweight women, participants who ate apples lost an average of 1 kg and ate fewer calories overall, compared to those who ate oat cookies with a similar calorie and fibre content. A different study in obese mice found that those given a supplement of ground apples and apple juice concentrate lost more weight than the control group.
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- Type II Diabetes
Diabetes has become a common lifestyle disease in our world today. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin. Because of this, symptoms such as frequent urination and thirst may exhibit. In severe cases, it could damage body organs and even become fatal. The good news? Several studies have linked eating apples to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. While apples contain carbs, which can raise blood sugar levels, the fibre in apples helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
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- Lowered risk of cancer
The statistics of cancer patients show clearly that it is a killer disease in our world today. In Kenya, there are approximately 39,000 new cases of cancer each year with more than 27,000 deaths per year. Test tube studies have found a link between compounds found in apples with a lowered risk of cancer. Scientists believe that their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects may be responsible for their potential cancer-preventive effects.
There are many fruits with benefits for your health. Check out some of them – pears, jackfruit, watermelons, cantaloupe melon, Guava, apples, pineapples, lemons, papaya, passion fruits, avocado and mangoes.
Check out these other spices which have numerous benefits as well- cloves, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, dhania, cardamom, cayenne pepper, Pepper and garlic.
