7 Amazing Benefits of Apples for Your Body
Apples are one of the most popular fruits around the world. Various studies agree that apples have many amazing benefits for the body. Is it true that this fruit can prevent various diseases? Check out the explanation regarding the content to the benefits of apples below.
Apple’s nutritional content
The apple tree is native to eastern Europe and southwest Asia. After apple plants spread throughout the world, there are various variants of apples that are easy to find.
Not always red, apples are also green or yellowish. The taste is different, some are sweet like honey to a little sour even though it’s ripe.
Whatever the color and taste, apples still have high nutritional content and nutrients that are good for your body.
Quoted from Panganku, here are the nutritional facts of the content in apples which are calculated per 100 grams.
- Calories: 58
- Water: 84.1 gr
- Protein: 0.3 gr
- Carbs: 14.9 gr
- Vitamin C: 5 mg
- Fiber: 2.6 grams
- Calcium: 6 mg
- Phosphorus: 10 mg
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Vitamin A: 90 mcg
- Potassium: 130.0 mg
- Copper: 124.20 mg
- Vitamin B2: 0.03 mg
- Zinc: 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B1: 0.04 mg
Health benefits of apples
Quoted from the Harvard School of Public Health, you will get the benefits and nutrients from eating whole and fresh apples.
Moreover, it also contains various ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Here are the benefits or benefits of apples that you can feel if you consume them regularly.
1. Maintain heart health
The first benefit or efficacy of apples is to maintain and help prevent the risk of heart disease.
This is because it contains ingredients that can lower cholesterol levels in the blood. One of them is the presence of polyphenol compounds that function as antioxidants.
Not only that, polyphenol compounds are in the form epicatechin flavonoids can also help lower blood pressure and the risk of stroke.
It should also be noted that the benefits of polyphenols in apples are on the skin. Therefore, you shouldn’t have to peel the apple skin when you want to eat it.
2. Helps lose weight
The fiber in apples is both insoluble and soluble. The soluble fiber called pectin in apples helps control blood sugar levels.
This is because pectin works together with the phytonutrient components in apples to control fat levels and blood sugar levels.
The fiber and water content in apples not only maintains digestive health, but also helps you to feel full faster so that it can help you lose weight.
Therefore, this also makes apples useful to help maintain balance and lose weight.
Having healthy digestion, controlled levels of fat and blood sugar, and ideal body weight can reduce your risk of developing degenerative diseases in the future.
3. Rich in antioxidants
Another content in apples is beta carotene (vitamin A) which is useful as a source of antioxidants.
It should also be noted that beta carotene is a plant pigment that provides bright colors such as red, orange and yellow.
The benefits of beta carotene in apples are to help reduce and prevent oxidative stress in the body.
Therefore, these antioxidant compounds can also help protect the eyes from loss of vision, protect the skin from the bad effects of sunlight, to cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Reducing the risk of diabetes
In a study, there was a discussion about the benefits and properties of apples, namely reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
This is due to the presence of polyphenols in apples that help prevent tissue damage and beta cells in the pancreas.
These beta cells can produce insulin and are often damaged in people with type 2 diabetes.
Then, the fiber content in apples is also useful for feeding the good bacteria in the intestines so that it can help protect you from type 2 diabetes.
5. Prevent cancer
The red color that dominates most types of apples comes from the content of anthocyanins which have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits.
In a study entitled Anthocyanins and Their Role Cancer Prevention, it was found that the phytonutrients in apples can help protect the animal’s body from lung and colon cancer.
One of the flavonols found in apples can also prevent and reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Another study in the academic journal Annals of Oncology found that regularly eating one or more apples per day can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 20% and breast cancer by 18%.
Even so, many other studies are still needed to confirm the benefits of apples in fighting cancer cells.
Anthocyanins also play a role in maintaining healthy eyesight and help prevent the decline in nerve function caused by old age.
6. Against asthma
Antioxidants play an important role in maintaining a healthy body, especially because of its function to ward off the bad effects of free radicals such as cell damage.
The antioxidant content in apples is also useful for protecting the lungs from oxidative damage, thereby reducing the risk of asthma.
In addition, apple skin also contains flavonoids that can help regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation.
It can be said that the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties in apples can help the body regulate the immune response and protect against allergic reactions such as asthma attacks.
7. Maintain healthy bones
Some of the minerals in apples are potassium and iron. Both of these ingredients are useful for maintaining bone density and strength.
Not only that, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in apples are also useful for maintaining and increasing bone mass as you age.
What is the proper way to store apples?
There are quite a number of ways you can do to enjoy the benefits of apples. Although, the best way to get the nutrients is to eat the fruit directly.
So, to keep apples fresh when consumed, there are two ways to store them that you can try.
- Store apples in the refrigerator and separate them from other food ingredients to prevent overcooking. The fruit will last for 1-2 months.
- At room temperature, apples will last for 1-2 weeks because the ethylene gas will speed up the ripening process.
From now on, let’s consume apples regularly for your health investment!
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
