Apple Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

The apple fruit comes from a tree and is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits in the world. This fruit comes in over 7,000 different apple varieties. Apples provide many nutritional benefits that help with overall health as well as in helping to treating a variety of conditions. The large amount of nutrition from apples makes it one of the healthiest foods for human wellbeing. ¹ The most common types of apples include Golden Delicious, Granny Smiths, Gala, Pink Lady and many more you can find at your local grocery store.

Apples Uses and Health Benefits

Apples are a natural food that provide a number of health benefits. Apples are high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, flavonoids and phytonutrients called polyphenols. ^1,2 Apples are low in calories and contain only trace amounts of sodium. Apples also have no fat or cholesterol making them incredibly healthy to consume daily. ¹

Because of the high content of nutrition in apples, health benefits of apples include: ^1,2

• Suppress hunger and provide better satiety or food satisfaction
• Regulate blood sugar by lessening the absorption of glucose and inhibiting certain enzymes that create simple sugars
• Provide dietary fiber that is critical in healthy digestion
• Improves metabolism by naturally changing digestive bacteria

Due to these health benefits of apples, this nutritious fruit can help serve as a natural remedy for the following conditions: ^1,2,3

• Acid Reflux - The burning or painful feeling that arises with acid reflux can be helped by eating an apple. Not only does apple help cool and soothe acid reflux pain, but it also helps to balance out pH levels to alleviate acid reflux.
• Heartburn - Apple is also a remedy for the variety of symptoms that stem from heartburn. Eat a raw apple to help stabilize indigestion and soothe burning and pain.
• Acidity - High levels of acidity in the digestive system can be suppressed and managed by eating apples. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a disorder associated with acidity, acid reflux and heartburn and apples can help soothe the painful burning.
• Indigestion - Apple provides many health benefits for the digestive system including helping to regulate digestion. Eat raw apples to help improve symptoms of indigestion.
• Osteoporosis - Apple polyphenols can help to fortify bones and prevent the progression of osteoporosis.

Apples Side Effects and Precautions

Apples are generally safe to consume daily as they don’t result in many side effects.⁴ As with any type of food however, consuming too many apples in excess can lead to weight gain which can lead to other serious health conditions.

Apples are also acidic which if eaten in excess may lead to the erosion of tooth enamel in some patients. This may be the result of eating apples slowly which causes the acidity to remain on the teeth longer leading to higher risk of erosion.⁴

References

1. http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/apple?IGNORE_GEO_REDIRECT_ONCE=true
2. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=15
3. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/28/apple-health-benefits.aspx
4. http://www.livescience.com/44686-apple-nutrition-facts.html