Fall is just around the corner, but apple-picking season is already here — one of the most anticipated times of the year. We’ve all heard that famous Welsh saying about an apple a day keeping the doctor away, but is there any truth to it? OK, you still need to see your doctor no matter what, but apples are good for your health.
They’re not only crunchy and sweet, but they’re also packed with nutrition and are more versatile than you might think. You can enjoy them as a snack straight from the tree, bake them into delicious desserts or add them to savory dishes for a touch of natural sweetness.
Here are four compelling reasons why apples should be a regular part of your diet.
Apples help you meet your daily fiber needs
Just one medium-size apple has more than 4 grams of fiber — that’s about 18% of women’s and 12% of men’s daily needs. Yet despite being an essential nutrient, the average American meets only about 58% of the daily recommended fiber intake. Fiber not only helps you feel fuller for longer, it’s also linked to multiple health benefits, including improved digestion, better blood sugar regulation and enhanced heart health.
While apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber, they’re known for their pectin — a soluble fiber that forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. This substance binds to cholesterol and sugar, helping to manage their levels in your blood. Pectin also acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial bacteria in your gut and supporting overall digestive and gut health. To reap the full fiber benefits of apples, be sure to eat the skin as well — peeling it can reduce the fiber content by up to 50%.
They’re packed with disease-fighting antioxidants
Apples are rich in antioxidants, particularly quercetin, a type of flavonoid that helps fight inflammation and protects your cells from damage caused by free radicals. These protective properties have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and asthma. Quercetin is also largely studied for its potential anticancer properties, with research suggesting it may help prevent the spread of certain cancers, including lung, prostate, breast, cervical and colon cancers.
Apples promote heart health
Eating 100 to 150 grams of whole apples per day — about one small to medium apple or 1 cup of chopped apples — may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Regular apple consumption can lower blood pressure, reduce pulse pressure and decrease total and LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. Studies show that people with slightly elevated cholesterol who ate two apples a day for eight weeks experienced a reduction in both total and LDL cholesterol. Pectin and flavonoids found in apples play a significant role in these heart health benefits.
For blood pressure specifically, three large studies that followed adults for eight years found that consuming at least four apples per week was associated with a 9% reduced risk of hypertension. Additionally, high apple intake has been linked to a lower risk of stroke.
Apples may help protect against diabetes
Although apples are a source of carbohydrates, their fiber and nutrient content keep them low on the glycemic index (GI) scale, which measures how carbohydrate-based foods affect blood sugar levels. Research suggests that a diet rich in low GI foods may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while a higher glycemic load increases it.
The Nurses’ Health Study found that eating apples at least three times a week was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, potentially due to their high levels of anthocyanins — a type of flavonoid with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Other studies have shown that consuming apples and pears can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 18%, with just one serving a day lowering the risk by 3%.
While apples may help better manage blood sugar levels, apple juice has been linked with higher blood sugar levels and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. It’s also worth noting that much of this research has been conducted in rats, so more human studies are needed.
How to add more apples to your diet
While there’s no official specific recommendation for how many apples to eat daily, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests that adults consume 1.5 to 2.5 cups of fruit each day. Since a small to medium apple equals about one cup, enjoying an apple a day can be an easy — and tasty — way to help meet your daily fruit intake.
My favorite way to enjoy apples is sliced and dipped in a bit of peanut butter — a satisfying combination of protein, healthy fats and fiber. You can also try dicing them and adding them to your oatmeal or salads for some extra crunch. Or blend them into your smoothies for a boost of fiber.
For a sweeter treat, sauté apples with cinnamon and vanilla to pair with yogurt or ice cream, or bake them into apple pies, crisps or muffins. And don’t forget about savory dishes. Apples pair wonderfully with pork, chicken, roasted vegetables and cheese. Whether you prefer them in sweet or savory dishes or as a stand-alone snack, incorporating apples into your diet is a simple way to amp up your nutrition and enjoy a range of health benefits.
