An apple a day keeps the doctors away. At least, that is how the saying goes. But why is it so? Today, on the National Eat a Red Apple Day in the United States, we will explore why eating apples is good for our body.
Before we laid down the benefit of eating apples, some people prefer to peel the skin of their apples. This is not a problem, but if you eat the apple with the skin, you can have at least 4.4 grams of fiber and addition in vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, energy, and carbs. We would recommend that you eat your apples with the skin, but if you really dislike it, it is okay to get rid of them!
1. Improve the health of your brain
A study conducted in 2004 by researchers from Cornell University found that there is a very powerful antioxidant in apples called quercetin. This antioxidant abundant in the apple’s skin is believed to block free radicals that could cause damage to your brain.
Another study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Lowell found that by consuming an apple, we are increasing the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter inside the brain. One of acetylcholine’s tasks is to change and build new structures in the brain.
The higher your acetylcholine is, the better your memories will be. In fact, one way to treat Alzheimer’s disease is by increasing the amount of acetylcholine to help slow down patients’ mental decline.
2. It strengthens your immune system
Gregory Freund, a professor in the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine said that soluble fibers found in apples could change the personality of immune cells. Soluble fibers will make angry and pro-inflammatory cells into healing and anti-inflammatory cells that will help in recovery from infection.
From the study published in 2010, they held an experiment using laboratory mice served either soluble or insoluble fibers. The result was mice fed with soluble fibers recovered 50% sooner than the other.
3. They can make your skin better
If you want your skin to look better, then eating apples might be one among many solutions you could do. Apples are rich in vitamin C that could help your body create collage, a protein and a crucial component that could be found abundantly in your skin.
The collagen and elastic in the apples are also useful in keeping your skin youthful. It will help lighten the colour of your skin and brighten them up. Apples will also get rid of the pathogens and excess oils on your skin to make it soother.
4. It can reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, and cancer
A study conducted by The Florida State University found that eating apples could give you a benefit that extends beyond the fiber content. From the study published in 2011, it is known that eating apples for 6 months could decrease LDL or bad cholesterol by 23% which in turn helps to reduce the risk of getting heart disease and stroke.
Usually, a patient suffering from high-cholesterol would have to decrease their cholesterol level by taking medication. While the medication could lower the LDL cholesterol level by 18 to 50%, it also brings many devastating side effects. Apple, meanwhile, could decrease it by 23% without bad side effects.
However, it does not stop there. Another study in Hawaii found that there is a correlation between the risk of lung cancer and the consumption of apples. The higher your apple consumption level is, the lower the risk of getting lung cancer. The risk would decrease to 40-50%.
5. It helps your diet
Previously, we mentioned that apples have a high soluble fiber that could strengthen your immune systems. However, it is not the only benefit of soluble fiber. They are also recommended for people who want to lose weight, as the fiber attracts water and creates a gel that slows down digestion, which in turn makes you feel fuller for a longer amount of time.
From a previous study by the Florida State University, Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi also found that dried apples could reduce weight in women up to 3.3 lbs. on average despite having 240 extra calories each day.
The saying of how eating apples could keep the doctors away might be old. However, that saying stays true even now with how many benefits an apple could give to your body; to the extent that some scientists dubbed them as a “miracle fruit”. So what are you waiting for? Head to the nearest market and buy some apples as snack!
This time, our activity could be a good idea to have fun, introduce, and let your kids enjoy the freshness of apples. What we are going to do is to carve out a few shapes out of apples, and let the kids assemble the pieces back to the apples.
In order to do this activity, you would need:
The steps you need to do are:
- Prepare a few apples
- Create puzzle pieces by cutting some shapes into the apple
- Mix the puzzle pieces together
- Serve it to your kids
There are a few things you could do to maximize your kids’ learning:
- If your kids are learning about certain shapes, make sure the puzzle pieces you create are the same shape, only differ in size.
- If you want to increase difficulties, add the number of apples
- You can add apples with different colors to make it more fun
After your kids finished assembling the puzzle, you can eat the apples together with them!