An Apple a Day…
Finding snack options can be difficult. So difficult in fact that many people have dismissed the notion from their diet all together. But starvation is not the answer folks!
Today’s eateries are overwhelmed with a horde of snack options that place convenience over substance. What these choices (empty carbs, sugars and calories all packaged in neat, shimmering cellophane wrappers) offer in variety, they lack in healthy options.
The Solution?
Try eating an apple. Apples are so common, they are often overlooked, but what shouldn’t be overlooked are the many benefits that just ‘an apple a day’ provides. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors to satisfy a range of appetites, and provide a wealth of nutritional value.
Red apples have been linked to improving memory while yellow hued and green apples have been linked to better vision and maintaining eye health.
A regular sized apple can easily assuage even the sharpest of pre-lunch hunger pangs while providing 10-14% of the daily value of immune boosting vitamin C. One (1) apple is equal to one (1) cup of fruit which is about half the daily value for adults on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. Apples are a satisfying, low-calorie snack option: an apple accounts for only about 95 calories.
Eating an apple daily has been shown to promote weight loss, control weight gain, lower the risk of heart disease, and fight cancer. According to Florida State University’s Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi, apples contain a compound called pectin which is known to have a satiety effect; you not only eat healthily, but you eat less. In Dr. Arjmandi’s study, women were asked to eat dried apples (75g/day) for one (1) year. Not only did the women decrease their LDL (aka bad cholesterol) by 23 percent while increasing HDL by 4%, they lost 3.3lbs on average.
100 grams of unpeeled fresh apple – about two-thirds of a medium-sized piece of fruit – provides the total antioxidant activity of 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C
An antioxidant in apples called quercetin, makes oxygen more available to the lungs which advocates increased endurance
Eating an apple can also aid in the health of our teeth. Known as “nature’s toothbrush” because of its fibrous texture, an apple can clean teeth until you are able to fully brush and floss. Our mouths react naturally to apples because chewing the fruit stimulates gums which in turn reduce cavity-causing bacteria while increasing saliva flow. Saliva decreases acidity in mouths and washes away food particles that would otherwise sit and decay in a dry mouth.
The lesson?
Eating an apple is the healthy choice. After all, it’s known as a superfood because of the huge nutritional gains for the body: vitamins, moisture, and fiber mean it’s good for you inside and out!
Collection Spotlight from the National Rehabilitation Information Center 