Can an Apple Make You Healthy?

Food for thought…

Can an apple make you healthy?

a great article by Reliv International

http://www.reliv.com

Crunch on this: Apples are a major source of disease-fighting nutrition neatly packaged in a delicious, easily portable, portion-controlled fruit. It turns out “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is based in fact. Science shows apples’ multiple health benefits — from your brain to your bowels.

With fall comes a bounty of crisp, juicy apple varieties to pick from. Check out the apple’s many juicy perks:

• Studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes.
• In the Women’s Health Study, women eating apples had a 13 to 22 percent decrease in heart disease risk.

• Fiber in apples combined with the fruit’s strong antioxidant activity lowers cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Apples are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber to aid digestive health.
• Apple pectin, an insoluble fiber, may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
• Apples are a very significant source of flavonoids, a type of phytonutrient. In a Finnish study, flavonoid intake — mainly through eating apples — was associated with decreased mortality.
• Several studies have specifically linked eating apples with a reduced risk for cancer, especially lung cancer. Scientists credit apples’ high concentration of flavonoids, particularly quercetin.
• Apple peel is loaded with vitamin C, an antioxidant.

• Research is showing a group of phytonutrients in apples could protect the brain from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

• Quercetin, one of the phytonutrients in apples, has stronger anti-cancer activity and antioxidant protective effects than even vitamin C.
• Apple’s phytochemicals fight bacterial and viral infections, and are anti-inflammatory.
• Eating apples has been shown to lower the risk for type 2 diabetes partly thanks to the high concentration of quercetin in apple peels.

For better health, treat yourself to a healthy diet abundant with fruits and vegetables. Relìv nutritional products can also boost your intake of beneficial phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals and fiber. For example, FibRestore^® is a rich source of carotenoids and other antioxidants with 21 herbs and 10 grams of soluble and insoluble fiber.

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I have also found that when I eat an apple a day I don’t snack as much during my day. I feel better and tend to eat smaller meals. But this is maybe just me. 🙂

Thank you again for stopping by and reading my blog. If you have any comments please share them below. Would love to hear from you. If you found this article educational go ahead and tweet it or share it with your friends!

Cheers to Your Optimal Health!

Katrina van Oudheusden