Scientists have recently found truth in the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Eating one apple a day for a month can lower blood levels of a substance linked to atherosclerosis by a huge 40%, according to a study published online in the Journal of Functional Foods. The study found that apples lowered oxidized LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol levels in the blood. When LDL cholesterol comes into contact with free radicals it oxidizes, which can cause the arteries to harden.
Apples are rich in polyphenols that have potent antioxidant properties. Eating an apple daily was even more effective than other well known antioxidants such as tomato extract, green tea and curcumin, when it came to lowering oxidized LDL’s. It was also found that eating a whole apple, not just taking a capsule containing its polyphenols was the most effective. Apples were even more effective than other well-known antioxidants, tomato extract, green tea and curcumin.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Guy - Art of Healing
Lisa Guy is a highly qualified Sydney based naturopath and author, with 10 years of clinical experience. Lisa runs a busy naturopathic clinic in Double Bay called ‘Art of Healing’. Lisa is passionate about helping people achieve optimal health and wellbeing, through good wholesome foods, nutritional supplementation, healing herbs and homeopathic remedies. Being a mum of two, Lisa has a particular interest in supporting women through pregnancy and beyond, and for children’s health and nutrition. Lisa is also the author of ‘My Goodness: all you need to know about children’s health and nutrition’, ‘Heal Yourself’, and ‘Pregnancy Essentials’. Lisa is an avid health writer, being the resident nutritionist for Body and Soul magazine, and regularly writing for a number of health and natural parenting magazines and websites.http://www.artofhealing.com.au
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