An Apple a Day
Did you know that the United States produces eight billion pounds of apples annually and that the average American polishes off 18.1 pounds of them a year?
As for the old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, there are plenty of super healing reasons why this is so. Apples are rich in natural fruit sugars, low in calories, high in water, and rich in carbohydrate food fibers, including cellulose, hemicelluloses, and pectin plus the no carbohydrate fiber lignin in the apple peel, which lowers cholesterol, normalizes blood pressure, and prevents digestive disorders. Another cardiovascular bonus is apples have little sodium, no fat or cholesterol, and provide 70% more potassium – the mineral that enhances heart muscle function – than fresh oranges.
The equivalent of two large apples a day causes a 16% drop in cholesterol levels, attributed to the fruit’s high pectin levels as well as its falconoid. Pectin appears to form a gel in the stomach that prevents total absorption of the fats in food.
Pectin also helps regulate blood sugar in diabetics and is a natural antidiarrheal aid. Apples are one more of the few fruits to supply to potent compound ellagic acid which blocks the cancer causing action of many pollutants and protects you from the toxic effect of carcinogenic benzene compounds.
Look for firm, clear skinned apples, but avoid bruised ones, which may signal an enzyme that accelerates oxidation of phenols and produces brownish pigments.
Apples should be refrigerated to preserve natural flavor and prevent inner browning. Out of the refrigerator, apples spoil 10 times faster.
Don’t peel or slice the apple until you are ready to eat it. Dipping raw slices of peeled apples into a lemon and water solution will retard browning. Keep a saucer of lemony apple slices and pear wedges in the fridge for post meal damage control. They counteract the fat consumed in meats, desserts, sweets, and other rich foods.
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