This nutritious fruit offers multiple health benefits. Apples may lower your chance of developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Research says apples may also help you lose weight while improving your gut and brain health.
Apples are the
From sweet red varieties, like Red Delicious, Fuji, or Gala, to tangy green ones, like Granny Smith, there is an apple for everyone.
They’re commonly used in recipes like pies, cookies, muffins, jam, salads, oatmeal, or smoothies. They also make a great snack or wedged and smeared with nut butter.
In addition to their culinary versatility and numerous colors and flavors, apples are an exceptionally healthy fruit with many research-backed benefits.
Apples are considered nutrient-dense fruits, meaning they provide a lot of nutrients per serving.
The current
Apples are also a rich source of polyphenols, an important group of antioxidants. While nutrition labels don’t list these plant compounds, they’re likely
To get the most out of apples, leave the skin on. The skin contains half of the fruit’s fiber and most of its polyphenols.
Apples are high in fiber and water, which makes them filling.
In one
Some
Apples have been linked to a lower chance of heart disease. Research has found that eating 100 to 150 g/d of whole apples is associated with a
One reason may be that they contain soluble fiber.
Another reason may be that they offer polyphenols. Some of these
A
Eating apples may also reduce your chances of type 2 diabetes. A 2019 review suggested that eating apples could decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The high amount of the polyphenol quercetin in apples
However, if you have diabetes, it’s important to make sure your blood sugar levels do not get too high.
Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic in your gut microbiome, and a healthy gut is often key to better health.
Since dietary fiber cannot be digested, pectin reaches your colon intact, promoting the growth of good bacteria. It especially improves the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes, the two main types of bacteria in your gut.
New research suggests that, by beneficially altering your gut microbiota, apples
Further research can also determine the bioavailability of apples in humans.
Apple skin is rich in the antioxidant quercetin, which
Still, more human research is needed on the topic.
Quercetin in apples
A
Eating more vegetables and fruits like apples may help your mental health, according to a
That said, the study found this benefit kicks in if you eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily, consistent with the recommendations of the
In addition, a
Eating fruit like apples may help reduce the chance of getting gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Multiple studies have also suggested that eating apples can help your body digest food better, which may be helpful with constipation. But the extent of the effect may depend on the type of apple you’re eating.
Here are some commonly asked questions:
Apples are an incredibly nutritious fruit that offers multiple health benefits, so eating at least one apple daily will certainly benefit your health.
There isn’t a specific number of apples that are best to eat daily. The American Guidelines for Nutrition recommend about five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, split evenly between fruit and vegetables.
One small 2019 study found that people who eat 1 to 2 apples daily had health benefits, such as reduced cholesterol and CVD risk markers. However, more research is still needed to confirm these findings.
They’re rich in fiber and antioxidants. Eating them is linked to a lower chance of some conditions.
Apples may also promote weight loss and improve gut and brain health.
Even though more research is needed to better understand how apples affect human health, you can’t go wrong with this tasty, versatile, and easily accessible fruit.
