Apple has several health benefits, but this forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden is also a great weight loss food.

Apples combine certain nutrients in a way that sets them apart from all other fruits and makes them a food of choice for achieving several health goals.

Unique support for heart health
Apples are a rich source of phytonutrients known as quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid. These unique phytonutrients help protect the cardiovascular system from oxygen-related damage. In addition, the high fibre content (pectic) in apples helps keep your LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels low and under control. People who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16 percent.

Alzheimer`s prevention
A study on mice at Cornell University found that the quercetin in apples may protect brain cells from the kind of free radical damage that may lead to Alzheimer`s disease.

Lung cancer prevention
According to a study of 10,000 people, those who ate the most apples had a 50 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers believe this is due to the high levels of the flavonoids quercetin and naringin in apples.

Breast cancer prevention
A Cornell University study found that eating one apple per day can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 17 percent. By eating three apples per day can reduce the risk by 39 percent and those who eat six apples per day can reduce their risk by 44 percent.

Colon cancer prevention
One study found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 43 percent lower risk of colon cancer. Other research shows that the pectin in apples reduces the risk of colon cancer and helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.

Liver cancer prevention
Research found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 57 percent lower risk of liver cancer.

Diabetes management
The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body`s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.

Weight loss
A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat fruit while dieting.

Bone protection
French researchers found that a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones.

Asthma help
One recent study shows that children with asthma who drank apple juice on a daily basis suffered from less wheezing than children who drank apple juice only once per month. Another study showed that children born to women who eat a lot of apples during pregnancy have lower rates of asthma than children whose mothers ate few apples.



BDST: 1429 HRS, Dec-25, 2013
Edited by: Sharmina islam, Lifestyle Editor