An Apple a Day
All apples have antioxidant power, but researchers have found a classic variety tops them all.
An apple a day is good for health: Research shows the tart-tasting fruit provides a bounty of nutritional benefits. But it turns out some apples may be better than others. When it comes to disease-fighting antioxidants, Red Delicious towers above the rest – especially with its skin on.
Tests by researchers at Agriculture and
“Everyone should increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in his diet,and apples are among the best in terms of health benefits,” says lead researcher Rong Tsao, PhD. “Choosing apples with a high proportion of disease-fighting polyphenols can potentially produce more health benefits.”
Adding apples to your diet is easy: grate them and add to pancake, waffle or muffin batter; dice them and heat in a microwave with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon, then spill over low-fat frozen yogurt; slice them and toss on your oatmeal, cereal or salads; or simply grab a fat, juicy one and take a bite.
Although the Red Delicious variety ranked tops in antioxidants, adding apples of any kind – along with their peels – to your diet is a good move, says registered dietitian Christen S. Wooten of Lake Norman Nutri Associates in Davidson, N.C.
With a mere 80 calories, all types of apples are packed with nutrition, containing vitamins A and C, which contribute to healthy skin and repair of body tissues. A medium apple (about the size of a tennis ball) counts as one serving and contains about five g of dietary fiber, which aids digestion and promotes weight loss. And recent studies have suggested the phytonutrients in apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from plaque build-up and guard against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss.
Just remember to wash apples well, says Wooten – especially if you’re leaving the skin on.
– M. Carol Burns
