Apples are a highly nutritious fruit that is also very versatile. Apples are added to pastries, desserts, savoury dishes, and tea. They can also make jams. In addition, they’re nutrient-dense. A medium-sized apple has 104 calories, carbs, fibre, vitamins, copper, and potassium. They’re also rich in antioxidants which help prevent the development of heart disease and cancer.
Read also: Health: 6 Reasons To Include Apples In Your Diet
How to make apple tea
It’s a warm drink that’s great for weight loss and for general feelings of wellness. Some manufacturers have ready-made flavoured teabags. However, others contain dried apples, among other fruits, for the tea. There are multiple types of apple tea made with fresh fruit.
1. Turkish apple tea
This can be made with fresh or dried fruit. You can add cloves, lemon, cinnamon, and honey. You can leave the peels on for added flavour. If the apples are already sour, you can leave out the lemon. Honey is a healthy option for a sweetener. However, you should only add it to the tea after boiling it.
Add the ingredients, except the honey, to a boil, and when the water is ready, leave it to simmer. When you strain and serve the tea, squeeze all the flavour from the apples. Leaving cinnamon in the tea can make it become bitter after a while. You can also add apple slices. You can serve it with black or green tea, over ice, or add other fruits like pineapple.
Read also: Health: 8 Benefits Of Pineapple Tea
2. Lebanese apple tea
This is made similarly to the Turkish option. However, instead of apple slices, the apple is grated. To boiling water, add grated apple, sugar, and lemon juice. After some time, add green tea bags and a cinnamon stick. Strain and serve immediately.
You can also make apple tea using black tea leaves and fennel.
Benefits of apples
1. It can help with weight loss
In addition to being highly nutritious, apples are rich in fibre and water content. Apple tea can be filling. This can help you manage your appetite. Studies also show that polyphenols in apple peels have anti-obesity effects.
Read also: 5 Effortless Ways To Lose Weight Without Exercise
2. It lowers the risk of heart disease
Research shows that apples contain a flavonoid called epicatechin, which lows blood pressure. High intakes of flavonoids also lower the risk of stroke. Flavonoids reduce levels of bad cholesterol and high levels of arterial plaque. Eating at least 25g of apples and adding apple tea to your routine can reduce the risk of stroke by 9%.
Read also: Different Types Of Heart Disease And Managing Them
3. Managing diabetes risk
Apples can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Antioxidants like quercetin and phloridzin help with this. They also have anti-inflammatory effects, leading to reduced insulin resistance, increasing the risk of diabetes. Phloridzin can also reduce blood sugar load by lowering sugar absorption in the small intestines.
Read also: Health: 7 Prediabetes Signs You Should Know
4. Improving gut health
Apples contain pectin, which is a prebiotic that helps nourish the gut microbiota. Gut health is important for mental and heart health. If you leave pieces in your apple tea, pectin can reach your gut intact and help feed the good gut bacteria. However, you only get these benefits if you don’t boil the apples for over 20 minutes, which can destroy the pectin.
Read also: Lifestyle: 6 Ways To Improve Your Gut Health
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