My family went apple picking (click here for the pictures), so of course, I'm going to blog about the health benefits of apples. We all know (or at least I think we all know) that apples are healthy. They have fiber. They have anti-inflammatory nutrients. They are packed full of vitamin C and antioxidants - and yes, most of that is in the skin, so eat the peel!
I used to worry about the pesticides that may be on the non-organic apples, but according to the WHFoods website, it is better to wash the non-organic apples thoroughly and still eat the peel. It really is that good for you!
When looking at all of the information about apples on the WHFoods website, I was surprised to see that apples help prevent cancer, particularly lung cancer. It doesn't sound like they know the exact reasons why, but there seems to be a significant link between the amount of apples a person eats and the number of people with lung cancer.
I am also surprised to read they have anti-asthmatic benefits as well. Of course, if they are reducing the risk of lung cancer, it should not be a surprise that they reduce asthma symptoms as well.
So my advice is to get to your local orchard and get some apples TODAY! Ok, it's dark right now, so maybe tomorrow.
Great article! I love apples - I eat at least one a day! Did you also know that the pips contain B17, another powerful cancer fighting agent. So,eat the whole apple if you dare...(the pips are a little hard though).
ReplyDeleteOk, I had no idea what the pips were - so I had to look it up on wikipedia. :) Thanks for stopping by and teaching me something new. blessings!
ReplyDeleteDon't eat a lot of apple pips, though, and don't chew them. Apple pips contain naturally occurring cyanide, a lethal poison--but in such small amounts that you'd have to eat a lot to have any trouble.
ReplyDeleteIf your apples get mushy spots before you can eat them raw, or your kids start an apple and don't finish it, try this recipe!