Why eating apples daily is your best defense against chronic diseases
Apple helps manage inflammation and oxidative stress. Apples contain about 100 million bacteria, but organic apples are still food for gut health and the environment.
By Olivia Cook
October 7, 2024
In the Hebrew Bible, the apple is famously referred to as the "forbidden fruit of knowledge of good and evil" from the Garden of Eden.Â
But over time, the apple took on more positive meanings. Its pleasant scent, round (sometimes heart) shape and sweet flavor came to represent beauty, hope for abundance and sweetness.
Apples are a type of deciduous tree. They grow well in temperate climates.
Their fruits drop from the tree when ripe, with their leaves shedding at the end of the growing season and regrowing at the next.
The apple's sturdiness is seen as a symbol of growth and strength.
Throughout history, the apple has often been viewed as a symbol of desire and love.
The ancient Romans associated it with Venus, their Goddess of Love.
Interestingly, when you slice an apple across the middle, its seeds form a five-point star, which some say mirrors the human figure – with five fingers, five senses and five main parts of the body (two arms, two legs and the head).
Drawing from the findings of a study published in the Journal of Food Science, this article explores current significant phytochemical constituents in apples – together with their bioactive actions against chronic (long-term) diseases.
Apples contain a variety of important bioactive compounds that contribute to their health benefits. These include macronutrients such as healthy fats, fiber (like pectin) and natural sugars, as well as organic acids like malic acid.
Apples are also rich in essential vitamins like B6 (pyridoxine), C (ascorbic acid) and E, minerals such as calcium, magnesium, nitrogen and potassium and trace elements such as copper, iron, manganese and zinc.
Over the past 30 years, research has highlighted the presence of specific polyphenols in apples – compounds like anthocyanins, dihydroxychalcones, flavanols (such as catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidins), flavonols and hydroxycinnamic acids.
These substances have complex chemical structures that have been linked to various health-promoting properties.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
The saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is rooted in the wide range of health benefits linked to eating apples.
Scientific studies – in laboratory settings (in vitro), animal studies (in vivo) and some clinical trials – support the claim.
Numerous observational studies have also found a strong link between regular apple consumption and a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases or experiencing serious outcomes, or dying, from them.
Apple helps manage inflammation and oxidative stress
Inflammation and oxidative stress are deeply connected and often work together in the body.
While they play important roles in protecting and repairing cells, when they get out of control, they can speed up the progression of chronic diseases, such as aging, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Chronic inflammation is fueled by the overproduction of harmful molecules and is made worse when the body's natural defenses are weakened.
Boosting the body's antioxidants can help calm inflammation.
Similarly, oxidative stress can trigger certain signals in the body that promote inflammation – creating a cycle where the two processes feed into each other.
Reducing either oxidative stress or inflammation often helps reduce the other, which is why many treatments target both issues.
Apple's natural polyphenols have been shown to help manage both inflammation and oxidative stress.
Studies on both animals and humans suggest that these compounds can reduce inflammation.
Additionally, research on fish (grass carp) has shown that apple's polyphenols can help reduce gut inflammation by blocking specific signaling pathways related to inflammation and decreasing certain genes that contribute to the inflammatory process.
Apple promotes gut health
Certain compounds in apples, like proanthocyanidins and the fiber called pectin, have been shown to interact with gut bacteria.
For example, studies have found that apple procyanidins can alter the gut's bacterial composition – reducing the ratio of Firmucutes to Bacteriodetes and increasing beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia.
This change has been linked to preventing obesity in animal studies.
Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effect of apples, especially when it comes to conditions like metabolic syndrome, is thought to be related to how these compounds influence the gut microbiome.
Pectin, in particular, has been shown to boost the levels of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a type of bacteria in the colon that has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Apple against Type 2 diabetes and obesity
Studies have shown that adding apples to the diet of diabetic or obese animals, as well as in lab experiments, can improve key markers of diabetes.
These positive effects are mainly due to the polyphenols found in apples.
These compounds promote the development of beige fat cells in white fat tissue, which helps the body burn more fat effectively.
Other benefits include blocking the activity of enzymes that raise blood sugar, lowering oxidative stress and inflammation and reducing high blood sugar and insulin resistance.
In large human studies involving nearly 200,000 participants, those who consumed more apples, blueberries or grapes were found to have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Since obesity is a major risk for Type 2 diabetes, apples, which are a low-glycemic fruit, can also help manage weight gain.
This is due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their influence on important cellular processes that regulate metabolism.
Apple against cancer
Apple flavonoids, polyphenols and polysaccharides have shown promise in helping to manage colorectal cancer.
In studies using a rat model of cancer, a specific type of apple anthocyanin called cyanidin-3-O-galactoside was found to reduce early signs of cancer development.
These beneficial effects are thought to occur through several mechanisms, including stopping the cell cycle (which prevents cancer cells from dividing), inhibiting the spread of cancer cells, triggering programmed cell death (apoptosis), blocking the formation of new blood vessels (anti-angiogenesis), reducing inflammation and providing antioxidant support.
Another compound found in apples called phloretin has also shown potential as an anticancer agent.
Research has indicated that it may be effective against various types of cancer, including blood, breast, cervical, esophageal, gastric lung and prostate cancers.
Apple helps prevent cardiovascular diseases
Research has shown that dietary flavonoids, which are abundant in apples are linked to a lower risk of dying from heart-related issues.
This supports the idea that regularly consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risks of conditions like atherosclerosis, cerebrovascular disease, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, etc.
Studies have found that apple consumption can improve blood vessel function lower harmful cholesterol levels and even reduce bone mass index in clinical trials.
These findings highlight the potential of apples in promoting heart health.
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