A Raw Organic Apple a Day...

Apples are such commonly-consumed fruits that we tend to overlook their unique and amazing health benefits. Even raw food enthousiasts can greatly benefit from apples. This member of the rose family (ever noticed how rose hips resemble mini apples?) combines certain nutrients in a way that sets it apart from all other fruits and makes it a food of choice for achieving several health goals. Let's examine what apples can contribute to our living foods lifestyle.

The humble apple contains quite a long list of phytonutrients that function as antioxidants and support our heart health: quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid. Include the skins when eating your raw apples: the skins are where most of the antioxidants are. But the skin is also most exposed to the outside world. Try to always purchase organically-grown apples to minimize the apple skin's exposure (and yours as well!) to unwanted pesticide sprays and other potential contaminants.

You'll get around 4 grams of dietary fiber in a medium-sized apple. This amount includes both insoluble fiber (cellulose) and soluble fiber (pectin). Studies have shown that both types of fiber can help keep your LDL cholesterol levels under control,and, if you have LDL cholesterol levels that are too high, can help lower them.

Along with antioxidants and fiber, flavonoids are a third reason to bring apples into a health-supportive raw and living foods diet. You'll get impressive amounts of flavonoids in the skins and pulp of apples. These flavonoids have plenty of tricks up their sleeve for helping protect your heart health. Some provide antioxidant protection; some help prevent excessive and unwanted inflammation; others help prevent too much clumping together of blood platelets; others help regulate blood pressure; and still others help regulate overproduction of fat in your liver cells. Flavonoids have repeatedly been shown to help lower risks of heart disease, and also to improve problems with heart disease once it has occurred.

While I could go on and on about the cancer protection properties (lung, breast and colon cancers) of apples, and about how they protect against asthma as well as help support respiratory health (due to its phloridzin content), wouldn't it be better to grab an apple and feast on this magnificent fruit? Go do that right now and load up on all its glorious nutritional and health benefits!

Now for a recipe of a classic apple concoction: Apple Pie! Raw style of course! Please note the measurements are approximate. (I forgot to take notes!!!)
Last Updated on Friday, 12 February 2010 21:36