There are even more health benefits to crunching on an apple a day, according to new CSIRO research.
New scientific evidence shows regularly eating apples can help keep your heart healthy, control appetite plus assist with weight loss. Emerging research also links eating apples with healthier gut bacteria.
Leading expert Dr Joanna McMillan said we were still discovering just how important a daily apple could be to our overall health.
“We know crunching on an apple makes us feel great. What we are now learning is how the compounds in apples, especially polyphenols and apple fibre actually help our bodies,” says Dr McMillan.
“This new evidence makes it even more important to eat the whole apple, skin and all, to ensure you’re getting all the goodness, because a lot of the antioxidants, fibre and polyphenols are found close to or in the skin.”
The CSIRO summary, commissioned by Horticulture Innovation Australia, involved reviewing the abstracts of 122 studies on apples and their health benefits that were published in scientific journals between 2010 and 2016.
Dr Joanna McMillan’s 5 Top Reasons To Eat Apples:
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Apple Eaters Weigh Less
Eating whole apples can help control your appetite and assist with weight loss, by helping you feel fuller for longer.
Studies have shown that both adults and children who eat apples regularly are more likely to have a lower BMI. Initially researchers believed it was the low energy density of apples that helped manage weight. More recent animal research suggests the dietary fibre (pectin) and polyphenols in apples may also play a role in appetite and weight control.
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Good For Gut Health
Emerging research shows eating apples is associated with healthier gut bacteria.
It is believed eating apples results in positive changes to gut bacteria (or microbiota. While the exact health effects of this are not yet known, the gut micro biome (the genes of the microbiota) are now understood to play an important role in maintaining good health and preventing disease.
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Put The Crunch On Cancer
Regularly eating apples is associated with a reduced risk of some of the most common forms of cancer. This has been shown for breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
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Keep Your Ticker Healthy
There is a strengthening body of scientific evidence that a regular apple habit is good for your heart.
Apples and their nutritional components help lower total and LDL cholesterol. While observational studies link eating more apples with a reduced risk of stroke, hypertension and a range of heart disease risk factors.
Emerging research from the University of Western Australia also suggests that eating apples may improve blood pressure and elasticity of blood vessels.
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Ideal Snack For Kids
Apples are a great morning snack for kids and perfect for recess. Research shows apples are more effective than a glass of (semi-skimmed) milk at reducing morning munchies. Kids who regularly eat apples are more likely to have a lower BMI, better overall nutrition, a better diet and be at lower risk of obesity.
The Australian apples season is now in full swing.
Handy apple tips for selecting, storing and enjoying your apples
- Select apples that are firm and without bruises and blemishes.
- Store your apples in the fridge when you get home; they’ll stay fresher and keep their crunch for longer.
- Enjoy the whole apple – skin and all – to get all the nutritional benefits. A lot of the antioxidants and other good stuff is in the skin.
The Carousel would like to thank Dr MacMillan and the Horticulture Innovation Australia for this article.
About Horticulture Innovation Australia: Horticulture Innovation Australia is a not- for-profit, industry-owned organisation that delivers more than $100 million in research, development and marketing activities on behalf of growers each year.
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