Are Apples Good For You?

You might have heard already that, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but how are apples good for you?  This brief guide will give you a better understanding of an organic solution that most people are unaware of. When it comes to healthy eating, apples offer more than just a tasty snack.  Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see photos of me visiting an apple orchard at the Arbor Day Farms.

 

Are Apples Good for Weight Loss?

The answer is most certainly yes, apples have a unique ability to help you to lose weight. According to a recent study, apples provide an antioxidant-rich diet that has been proven to help you naturally lose weight. Apples are also packed with plenty of fiber which helps to aid with any weight loss process. This is good news for anyone who is looking to lose weight and stay healthy at the same time.

On average, a single apple will average 50 to 100 calories, but the amount of fiber will range between 2.4 to 5 grams. It all depends on the type of apple that you are eating, so obviously tart and crisp Granny Smith apples will be lower in calories. Choosing sweeter versions such as Golden Delicious or Honey crisp are typically higher in calories. There is a recommended daily balance that you will want to stick to so you don’t go overboard.

 

Are Apples Good For You?

The interesting thing is, that apples are packed with health benefits that will help your body in many ways. First of all, they have loads of antioxidants called Quercetin which are very helpful in reducing inflammation anywhere in your body. Anyone who is dealing with constant inflammation will likely have weight issues additionally. This is where insulin resistance is directly linked with obesity.

Quercetin can directly lower inflammation levels and prevent your body from producing too much insulin. This is how it can immediately help you to lose weight. Apples also promote healthy gut bacteria which are important for your digestion. Not to forget that apples also help you to boost your current metabolism so you can have more energy throughout the day.

 

How Many Apples Should I Eat A Day To Lose Weight?

Now, this is the big question that everyone wants to know and is simple to answer. The best advice is 3 apples per day. These should be eaten before each meal and not all at once. The nice part is that apples can be incorporated into any meal within salads or sliced over high-fiber cereals. With meals such as dinner, an apple makes a great garnishing side dish or stewed in apple compotes.

Apple will also help directly with healthier digestion which plays a primary role in weight loss. An apple will also become a great substitute for other foods that may have higher calories. Three apples at most will be around 300 calories and will prove to become a better choice for adding flavor to many dishes instead of salad dressings or sauces. The secret is to prepare your apple fresh and not cook out the polyphenols.

Polyphenols are best ingested when an apple is raw, so if you prefer to make fresh applesauce using a splash of apple cider vinegar, don’t boil your apples beforehand. Use a food processor or hand immersion blender to create varying degrees of mash or apple relish.

 

How Many Apples Should You Eat A Day?

As mentioned before, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  As it goes, at most you can enjoy one or two apples daily unless you’re looking to lose weight. This would call for three apples per day.  Apples make a great snack when you’re on the go or just want something to kill the hunger bug. One of the best-kept secrets for most young folks in the past was buying a big sack of apples, and keep in your college dorm closet.

They make excellent study snacks and are much cheaper when you buy them in bulk.  Apples also help with concentration and reduce getting headaches. Since they are so high in water content, you stay hydrated too.

If you want to stock up on apples.  Learn more here how to freeze apples.

Health Benefits of Apples

Apples are considered the happy hormone, but most women will immediately think of chocolate.  Among some of the strongest reasons to enjoy apples more often is having a healthy hormone balance. Obviously, eating healthy is a good choice for regulating your daily diet. Adding apples to your diet will prevent many types of illness including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

They have even found that apples do play a big part in preventing cancer due to the antioxidants that come with fresh apples. Not that there is even some impressive proof that apples can also prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia later in life. It’s simple enough to say, that the doctors weren’t wrong in calling this an amazing fruit.  Apples are proving to keep illness away and help you to promote a healthy immune system at the same time.

 

What Do You Think About Apples Now?

Now after all of this, there shouldn’t be any need to ask- are apples good for you? And since there are so many varieties of apples, you can try different varieties that are sold in farmer’s markets or from your local market. This will give you more variation in flavors that can be added for your personal tastes or within select recipes.

There are 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world. 100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.  I visited an apple orchard in Nebraska City and they have 14 varieties of apple trees.  Here I am enjoying the area and learning about Arbor Day Farm.