It’s a well known and generally obvious fact: apples are healthy. Even more so than you may think. Apples contain vitamin c, soluble fiber, potasium, and lesser know minerals such as quercetin.
Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant. You’ve heard of these: they keep your body from hurting itself when digesting food. Another neccesity provided by the vitamin is the production of collagen, a material which basically sticks your skin to itself, improving skin health and preventing wrinkles. Collagen also works to keep your tendons and ligaments in working order. Vitamin C must be replaced constantly, as it passes through the body easily. Apples have about ten percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin c.
Soluble fiber helps in managing weight by mixing with water to make a gel that sits in your stomache, filling space and creating that ‘i’m full now’ feeling. As the stomache empties more slowly, sugar absortion also takes longer. This is especially good for diabetics who need to closely watch sugar levels. Keep in mind that, like all fruits, apples are high in sugar. Soluble fiber also blocks LDL(The bad cholesterol) from being absorbed.
Mantaining a good water balance is in part the job of potasium. Since water makes up so much of the body and, among other things, affects blood pressure, you’ll want potasium in your diet. Potassium also reduces the harmful effects salt can have on the body.
The skin of an apple contains quercetin. It’s a common plant pigment that, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved any health claims, it has been associated with reduced risks of certain types of cancer and a slight decrease of fat cell production. Studies have also shown possible anti-inflammatory properties. Other minerals in apples may lower Alzheimer risk, strengthen bones, and ease Asthma.
It should be noted that apple juice does not contain all of the nutrients that whole apples do. Please enjoy the benefits of eating apples.