Eat apples, one of the most abundant fruits in autumn, to prevent chronic diseases and lose weight in the process. Apples are common and may be easy to take for granted, but research shows that apples really help keep doctors away.
But there are red flags in apples that many people are unaware of. Fruit consistently appears on the Environmental Working Group’s list of produce with the highest concentrations of harmful pesticides, and some varieties are genetically modified.
Here’s a complete summary of apples’ many benefits, along with a cautionary note about potential risks from modern agricultural practices used to grow them.
Rich source of phytochemicals
Apples are a rich source of vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, phytochemicals, and non-nutritive plant compounds that provide many health benefits. Thousands of phytochemicals have been identified in food, but there are still many that have not been identified.
Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that help fight off free radicals that damage and age your body, and are the major type of phytochemical found in apples. A Finnish study of about 10,000 people found that flavonoid intake was associated with lower total mortality.
Reduces risk of obesity, cancer and other diseases
Apples are rich in water and dietary fiber and fill you up. It is also lower in carbohydrates and calories than other carbohydrate sources such as grains and beans. For these reasons, eating apples may help with weight management.
Animal and human studies have shown that eating apples in various forms can reduce weight in overweight subjects, and some studies have shown that apple polyphenols have anti-obesity effects. It has been suggested that there is a possibility that
Additionally, apples have been found to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, asthma, and cardiovascular disease.
“In vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that apples have high antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, reduce lipid oxidation, lower cholesterol, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. It may explain the role of
Studies show that eating apples may improve vascular function, cholesterol metabolism, and inflammation. These factors may explain the protective effect against cardiovascular disease. A 2015 study suggested that the fiber and polyphenols in apples are beneficial to the composition of the gut microbiota, a previously unrecognized factor in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors. It may also play a role.
Regarding protection against cancer, the 2011 review “Comprehensive review of the relationship between apples and their constituents and human health” found “multiple plausible mechanisms by which apples may reduce cancer risk in humans. ” is explained. Test-tube studies suggest that apple polyphenols reduce the growth of cancer cells. Along with the antioxidant properties of apples, these polyphenols exert “chemopreventive” activity, reducing the risk of developing cancer. It is thought to reduce cancer and prevent cancer recurrence.The pectin fiber in apples may provide other anti-cancer properties.
Apples contain antioxidant capacity and phytochemicals that may protect lung function and help prevent inflammatory and allergic lung diseases such as asthma.
Other health benefits
An ongoing study found that women who ate an apple a day had a 28% lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to women who ate no apples.
The aforementioned 2011 article summarizes research suggesting that apples may have beneficial effects on outcomes related to Alzheimer’s disease, age-related cognitive decline, and bone health.
That same article concluded that the data associated with apple products and disease risk reduction were “provocative and diverse”. It may be powerful in the prevention of some chronic diseases.”
Beware of pesticides
Just as studies have shown apples to be beneficial, many synthetic chemical pesticides have been applied to non-organic apples, offsetting some of their benefits or adding new health risks. There is a possibility that it will be
Each year since 2004, the Environmental Working Group has updated the “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” and compiled a “dirty dozen” list of produce with the highest pesticide residues. Apples are generally near the top of the list as they contain an average of 4.4 pesticide residues, including high concentrations.
A 2016 test of raw apples conducted by USDA scientists found 80% diphenylamine. Diphenylamine is a controversial chemical that has been restricted to apples imported from Europe since 2014.
But pesticide concerns don’t end with diphenylamine. According to a database of pesticides used on various crops in the United States compiled by Beyond Pesticides, apples contain 109 different pesticides. 94 pesticides, including the controversial herbicide glyphosate, have been linked to chronic health problems (such as cancer). 92 is toxic to wildlife. 44 is considered toxic to insect pollinators, including honey bees. 39 is acutely toxic and creates a hazardous environment for farm workers. 25 rivers and groundwater are polluted.
Not all pesticides on the list have been applied to apples, but there is no way to know which pesticides have been applied to a particular conventional apple on a store shelf. Buy organic produce or talk to local farmers about the pesticides they use.
Genetic recombination
Another relatively new problem is the introduction of genetically modified (GM) apples designed for purely cosmetic effects. These are rarely clearly labeled as GM.
Developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Arctic apples are genetically engineered so that they don’t turn brown as quickly when cut or bruised. This modification utilizes a relatively new genetic engineering technique known as RNA interference, which inhibits the fruit’s natural production of the enzyme that causes browning (i.e. polyphenol oxidase) by silencing the gene that expresses it. interferes, thereby sharply reducing the amount of enzymes present in apples, according to the Non-GMO Project.
The apples, which will be sold as ready-to-carry pre-cut slices or cubes, will have the Arctic name, logo and square QR code on the packaging.
The Center for Food Safety states that the USDA’s environmental assessment of new cultivars is inadequate, and that adequate characterization of polyphenol oxidase genes, their function, and the impact of silencing them on whole apple trees has never been conducted. No. These apples were allowed to be marketed in the United States. The Center notes that these genes have been shown to be associated with pathogen resistance in other plants, and silencing them could increase susceptibility to disease and pests and increase pesticide use on GM apples. I noticed that there is a
Nearly half of U.S. adults are wary of the health effects of genetically engineered foods, according to a Pew Research Center survey, and nearly half of U.S. consumers avoid GM foods at least to some extent, according to a 2018 survey. I’m here.
Additionally, there are other ways to keep apples from browning when sliced, so the non-browning cosmetic effect is unnecessary.
If you want to buy apples that don’t tarnish when cut, try natural opals produced with natural breeding techniques that won’t tarnish. It has a warm golden color and tastes like Honeycrisp He Apple.
An important way to avoid both pesticides and genetically modified foods is to buy organic apples.
Get the most out of your apples
Apples are a powerful, nutritious and disease-preventing food. To get the maximum health benefits from them while minimizing the potential risks, eat whole with skin and buy organic varieties that contain the most protective nutrients. please.
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Melissa Diane Smith is a holistic nutrition counselor and journalist who has written about health for over 25 years. She is the author of several nutrition books, including ‘Syndrome X’, ‘Going Against the Grain’, ‘Gluten Free All Year Round’ and ‘Going Against GMO’.
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