An Apple a Day Really Can Keep the Doctor Away!

Everyone has heard the old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But what if I told you that same apple could save hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars every year? In the US, poor diet and lifestyle choices have contributed to making cardiovascular disease one of the leading causes of death. High cholesterol, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is commonly treated with statins drugs costing the US billions of dollars each year. Apples have been widely studied for their health benefits and there is new evidence showing eating one a day may be as effective as taking statin drugs for reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

Sayings We Take for Granted

Dating back to 1866, the original phrase was “eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread,” evolving over the years to its current form. However, eating this humble fruit for health dates back much farther than the saying, with accounts of the health benefits of apples appearing in Roman history and ancient Ayurvedic medicine. A saying that has been around for centuries must have some truth to it, so what makes apples so special?

Apples have a unique balance of phytonutrients found in both the pulp and the skin. Unlike most other fruits, the nutrients in apples aren’t as susceptible to loss during storage making them ideal to add to your diet. Problem is that we all know we should be eating our fruits, but we don’t always do it. What if I told you eating an apple a day could reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease? Do you think you could do it? New research shows that it may be as simple as that.

Scientific Backing

Using mathematical models, researchers at the University of Oxford completed a study to check the validity of this 150 year old proverb. What they wanted to find out is if eating apples is an effective strategy for primary prevention of vascular diseases such as stroke and heart attack. To do this they calculated the reduction in vascular deaths if 70 percent of Britons over age 50 either ate an apple a day or took a statin a day. Then they estimated how many deaths or other adverse effects there would be from either treatment, and compared the costs. What they found was that either an apple a day or a statin a day to everyone over age 50 had a similar effect on overall mortality from cardiovascular disease.

This is great news as choosing apples over statins could avoid the side effects resulting from long-term use of medications. Statins are a class of cholesterol lowering drug that act by blocking an enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol. But for some people the risks of the drugs outweigh the benefits. Long-term use of statins has been associated with muscle and liver damage, digestive problems, neurological problems and increased risk for the development of type two diabetes.

What’s Beneficial About Apples

Apples are loaded with nutrients and have been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease and to contribute to blood sugar regulation and weight control. A regular size apple ranges from about 70-100 calories and is loaded with vitamin C, phytonutrients and fiber. The type of fiber that apples contain, pectin, is effective in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol by binding with fats in your bloodstream. Quercetin, which is a flavonol in apples, slows the digestion of carbohydrates and reduces glucose absorption. This means you stay full longer and your blood sugar stays more even. Cardiovascular benefits are attributed to their unusual mix of phenolic compounds. These compounds act as antioxidants providing us with protection from oxidation of our fats.

Easy Ways to Get Your Apple a Day

Apples are a great grab-n-go snack since they are perfectly portioned and store and travel well. Keep a bowl on your kitchen counter or on your desk at work. Try some of these tips to get your apple a day:

·      Add chopped apple to your morning oatmeal

·      Spread apple slices with almond butter for a healthy snack

·      Toss chopped apples into a stir fry

·      Use them in a tossed salad

If you are looking for recipes, the US Apple Association and the Washington Apple Commission are two great places to start. Why not have an apple tasting party and give some of those different varieties a try knowing that you are taking your health to heart?