Apple are my favorite fruit. I eat them at least four times a week. I like the red and green apple. Apples are widely known fruit to each and every one of us. Apples are delicious and nutritious fruits. You no what they say a apple a day keep the doctor away.
I like apples because they contains vitamin A and C, fiber, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and other important chemicals (based on USDA National Nutrient Database). It also contains boron and phenolic compounds (flavonoids). This fruit is low in calories and fat but has high water content. Apple also contains calcium, iron, and boron. Eating apple is not just a delightful small meal. This mouthwatering fruit when chewed helps to prevent tooth decay and strengthens the teeth for it contains calcium Boron in the other hand is for bone growth while iron is for creating hemoglobin in red blood cells.
Health Benefits Of An Apple
Rheumatism: Patients who are suffering from rheumatism find apples very useful as they aid in the healing process. Along with the healing process, and perhaps more importantly, are the huge amount of flavonoid compounds found in apples. Apples help fight inflammation.
Eye Disorders: Apples are believed to make the eyes stronger and improve eyesight. They also help in treating night blindness. Much of this is due to the fact that apples are rich in flavonoid compounds and antioxidant phytonutrients, which can reduce the impact of free radicals on the eyes, while preventing conditions like macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Weight Loss: Aside from the normal ability of fibrous fruits to make us feel full and increase satiety, thereby reducing appetite and overeating, apples have another unexplained ability to help in our weight loss aims. Studies have shown that apples actually speed up our metabolism so that additional calories consumed after eating an apple don’t register as much in our body. Meaning, they are burned off quicker, or not absorbed by the body at all.
Promote Skin Care: Pastes made of apple and honey, and apple and milk increase the shine and glow of the skin when topically applied. This is again due to the powerful antioxidants contained in the skin and flesh of apples. These compounds counteract the damaging effects of free radicals that are directly linked to premature aging, as well as wrinkles, age spots, and other age-related conditions.
Promote Good Digestion: Apples, being rich in fiber, help in the digestive process. Regular consumption of apples ensures smooth bowel movements and helps in preventing constipation and various stomach disorders. Fiber is an important part of any diet. It adds bulk to the stool and helps food pass through the digestive tract smoothly. Furthermore, it stimulates peristaltic motion so the muscles contract appropriately and move food along. Finally, it stimulates the release of gastric and digestive juices to ensure efficient uptake of nutrients.
Cancer Prevention: The role of apples in cancer prevention has been a subject of study for some time, and while they have shown moderate improvement in various types of cancer, particularly breast and colon cancer. They show a distinct and undeniable capacity to reduce lung cancer and slow its spread if it does develop.
Digestive Health: One of the most essential and overlooked parts of human health is the beneficial bacteria living throughout our body. Apples specifically help improve the functioning of the bacteria living inside of our large intestine, and early studies show that apples change the metabolism within the digestive tract, and change the balance of bacteria, which leads to improved health by maximizing nutrient uptake and eliminating harmful bacteria and toxins.
Anemia: Apples are useful in treating anemia since apples are a rich source of iron. Anemia is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood, which can be fixed by increasing your intake of iron, which is an integral part in the metabolism of red blood cells. By increasing the amount of red blood cells in the body, you not only prevent anemia but also ensure proper oxygenation of essential organ systems to keep them functioning properly.
Weakness: Apples are known to remove weakness and add vigor and vitality to weak people. It is, therefore, often given to patients to help them recover quickly from their illnesses. If you want to gain weight, apples should be a part of your daily diet. It also helps in detoxifying the body and improving the overall health of the body. Although it doesn’t contain a significant amount of protein, the combination of the antioxidant compounds and the protein found in apples can have a major role in preventing weakness and improving muscle tone.
Help Managing Diabetes: Blood sugar control is essential for people who suffer from diabetes, and the polyphenols in apples have been directly linked to reducing the uptake of carbohydrates by the body. This, in turn, reduces the fluctuation of blood sugar levels that occur in the bloodstream, an important factor for helping to keep diabetes in check. It doesn’t stop there, however. The polyphenols also lower glucose absorption in our digestive tract, and they stimulate the release of insulin from our pancreas, which is necessary to keep blood sugar levels in check. Finally, the polyphenols stimulate the insulin receptors on cells throughout our body, which speeds up the removal of sugar from our bloodstream and gets it to our cells, which need it for metabolism and proper organ function. Apples are one of the best all around foods for improving the health of people suffering from diabetes.
Dental Care: Eating apples helps in cleaning both the teeth and gums. Furthermore, it reduces the incidence of cavities in the teeth. When you eat apples, the fiber in it cleanses the teeth, while the antibacterial properties of the fruit keep bacteria and viruses from infecting the body. Eating apples also stimulates the secretion of saliva, which is an alkalinic compound, meaning that it further reduces the ability of bacteria to multiply and grow in your mouth.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease: As if the other impressive benefits of apples weren’t enough, they also show a positive impact on neurological issues, particularly two of the most tragic conditions, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The antioxidant effects of all the phytonutrient compounds in apples certainly help reduce Alzheimer’s disease, since the degeneration of the brain that leads to Alzheimer’s has been linked to free radical activity. Apples also increase the amount of acetylcholine in the brain, which is linked to concentration, problem-solving, and memory.
Help With Respiratory Issues: Our respiratory system is highly susceptible to inflammation, and a number of respiratory conditions are directly related to an inflammation of membranes and cells in that system. Asthma is perhaps the most serious, as it can be fatal in severe cases. Apples have shown tremendous anti-inflammatory behavior, and in terms of asthma, they have stood out among other natural treatments, even superseding the benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables in combination.
Heart Disease: Apples lower the level of cholesterol in the body, making it a strong defensive mechanism against cardiovascular disease. The adage of “an apple a day keeping the doctor away” is more accurate than you’d think, since the daily dose of an apple deemed healthy for the heart is approximately one per day. The antioxidant activity in apples reduces the oxidation of fats, called lipid peroxidation and includes neutralizing triglycerides and various fats found between blood vessels that can exert dangerous pressure. Also, apples contain a very powerful flavonoid called quercetin, found in the skin of the fruit, can reduce inflammation in our blood vessels by reducing the amount of C-reactive protein (CRP). This protein has been linked to inflammation of the cardiovascular system, so a reduction of it through quercetin makes apples very strong heart boosters!
Apple Nutritional Facts
· 95 calories.
· 4 grams fiber.
· 19 grams sugar.
· 0 grams of protein or fat.
· 4 milligrams vitamin C (14 percent DV)
· 196 milligrams potassium (6 percent DV)
· 4 milligrams vitamin K (5 percent DV)
· 0.1 milligrams vitamin B6 (4 percent DV)
How To Make Cucumber Apple Juice
Cucumbers are surprisingly intense when it is juiced. For optimum benefits, juice the entire cucumber, including the skin and seeds; most of its nutrients including calcium, zinc and vitamin K, are found just under the skin.
Ingredients:
· 2 green apples
· 100g spinach
· 1 cucumber
· ½ head of iceberg lettuce
· Mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
· Wash the ingredients with water
· Cut the fruit and vegetables into small enough to fit into your juicer
· (note: do not peel the skin of the cucumber or apples, as there are added nutrients just under and including the skin)
· Place all the ingredients through your juicer
· Pour into a tall drinking glass, add mint (optional) and stir to mix all the flavors
· Serve