An Apple a Day

Everyone has heard the old adage, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." We all know we should eat more fruit, but why apples? Do they contain specific benefits?

According to researchers at Florida State University, apples are truly a "miracle fruit" that convey benefits way beyond just their fibre content.

The study randomly assigned 160 women ages 45-65 to one of two dietary intervention groups: one received dried apples daily (75g/day for a year) and the other ate dried prunes every day for a year. Blood samples were taken at 3, 6 and 12-months.

The results surprised the researchers: "Incredible changes in the apple-eating women happened by 6 months - they experienced a 23% decrease in LDL cholesterol, which is known as the bad cholesterol," said researcher Dr. Arjmandi, "I never expected apple consumption to reduce bad cholesterol to this extent while increasing HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol by about 4%."

Yet another advantage is that the extra 240 calories per day consumed from the dried apple did not lead to weight gain in the women; in fact, they lost on average 3.3 lbs. Part of the reason for the weight loss could be the fruit's pectin, which is known to have a satiety effect.