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“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” or so they say. I think it is about time to look at the actual benefits of an apple.
What is in an Apple?
Nutrients are based approximately on one apple
- Calories: 81
- Protein: 0 gram
- Carbohydrates: 21 grams
- Fibre: 3.7 grams
- Fat: 0 gram
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 gram
- Calcium: 10 milligrams
- Phosphorus: 10 milligrams
- Potassium: 159 milligrams
- Zinc: 0.1 milligrams
- Iron: 0.2 milligrams
- Magnesium: 7 milligrams
- Vitamin A: 7 micrograms
- Vitamin B6: 0.07 milligrams
- Vitamin C: 8 milligrams
- Vitamin E: 0.44 milligrams
- Vitamin K: medium to high levels (has to be green)
- Folate (folic acid): 4 micrograms
(Very nutritious – Beeble)
So what is an Apple good for?
According to U.S. recommendations the figures above show that the apple contains approximately 16% of the daily amount required of Vitamin C. This is not particularly high and the rest of the figures are even lower, as far as its properties “to keep the doctor away” it is not looking very impressive. When you compare it to other fruits it even begins to look a little lightweight on its nutritional properties.
So why eat one?
We have to look beyond the recommended daily allowances (RDA) to find the apple’s true calling. Research has found that it can benefit the body by reducing the chances of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer due to its antioxidant properties and its ability to improve bowl function. It also helps to reactivate gut bacteria that is beneficial to the digestion process and can aid in the reduction of your cholesterol levels because it doesn’t contain any fats and it is fibrous which allows absorption of bad fats from other food sources.
Summary
So the apple probably doesn’t have the ability to keep the doctor away by itself but that doesn’t mean you need to drop it from your shopping list just yet. I think we have still proved that the apple has enough benefits to keep its place in your kitchen!
Be careful though!
Don’t get to frenzied with your apple eating as the seeds are known to mildly poisonous. Don’t worry though if you consume the odd one or two as you would have to eat a small orchards worth before it became a problem.
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