Apples, the sweet with a myriad of surprising benefits & bull; hello healthy

Apples are one of the most popular fruits around the world. Various studies agree that apples have many amazing benefits that are good for the body. In fact, because of the many health benefits of this fruit, apples are claimed to keep you from various diseases. As a result, you don't need to have frequent health checks at the doctor.

But is that really true? Come on, check out the full benefits of apples in the following review.

Nutritional content in apples

The apple tree is native to eastern Europe and southwest Asia. After several centuries, apple plants spread throughout the world, producing a variety of variants that are easily found both in traditional markets and in supermarkets.

Not always red, apples are also green or yellowish. The taste offered from this fruit is also different. Some are sweet like honey, some are smooth even though they are ripe. Whatever the color and taste, apples still contain high nutrients that are good for your body.

Yes, apples are in fact high in fiber, vitamin C, and a wide variety of antioxidants. One apple is known to contain 95 calories, most of which comes from the carbohydrate content in it. Although high in calories, apples are a fruit that is free of fat, sodium and cholesterol. This fruit is also rich in water because 86 percent of the apple content is water.

Health benefits of apples

Consuming apples every day can help improve your health because of the fiber, vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants in them. The nutritional content in apples can also prevent you from various diseases, and of course keep you from having to visit the doctor because of illness.

In general, the following are the health benefits of apples:

1. Prevent cancer

The red color that dominates most types of apples is not without benefits. This red color is due to the presence of anthocyanins, a type of phytonutrient (unique chemical compounds found only in plants) that can provide many health benefits for the body.

Anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Several animal studies have shown that the phytonutrients in apples can help protect against lung and colon cancer. One of the flavonols found in apples can also prevent and reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Another study, published in the academic journal Annals of Oncology, found that consuming one or more apples per day reduced the risk of developing colorectal cancer by 20 percent and breast cancer by 18 percent. Even so, many other studies are still needed to ascertain 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.

2. Control blood sugar

One medium ripe apple contains about 4 grams of fiber, or about 17 percent of the recommended daily intake of fiber. The fiber contained in apples is insoluble and soluble.

The soluble fiber called pectin in apples is associated with many health benefits for the body. One of them is to help control blood sugar levels. This is because pectin works together with the phytonutrient components in apples to control fat levels and blood sugar levels.

Foods that are high in fiber also tend to be more filling, which can help with weight loss. 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. Counteract free radicals

Antioxidants play an important role in maintaining a healthy body, especially because of its function to ward off the bad effects of free radicals. We can get free radicals from metabolic waste in the body and also from various pollutants found in food, air, and even sunlight.

Free radicals themselves are in the form of molecules with an unstable number of electrons so that they are very reactive and damage the surrounding healthy cells. Healthy cells that are affected by free radicals will destroy themselves, thus triggering diseases that are harmful to the body.

Well, this is where the role of antioxidants is needed. Antioxidants function as electron donors to neutralize the reactive nature of free radicals so as to prevent cell damage.

According to research conducted at the Food Science and Toxicology Department Ithaca New York, the antioxidants in one apple are equivalent to the antioxidants found in 1500 mg of vitamin C. Eat apples with the skin, because most of the antioxidants found in apples are in the skin.

4. Contains lots of good vitamins

Apples are rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin B1. One medium apple (about 180 grams) contains 8.4 mg of vitamin C.

Vitamin C helps synthesize collagen, an important component found in tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and skin. In addition, vitamin C functions to repair damaged tissues, especially bone and tooth tissue. Vitamin C also works as an antioxidant that can counteract the bad effects of free radicals.

While vitamin B6 in the body functions to help the body form neurotransmitters, compounds that are in charge of conveying signals between nerves. Vitamin B6 is also needed for the formation of the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine. These two hormones play a role in maintaining the body's biological clock. Without vitamin B6, our bodies will have difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 so that it can cause the body to not produce immune cells and red blood cells properly.

Finally, vitamin B1 or also known as thiamine, is known as the anti-stress vitamin because of its function that maximizes the work of the immune system and improves body function in dealing with stress. Vitamin B1 also plays a role in a metabolic reaction and helps the body produce ATP, which is a source of energy for the body.