Apples are both nutritious and offer health benefits

edical News Today ranked apples as No. 1 on their list of top 10 healthiest foods and stated apples are rich in flavonoids, antioxidants and fiber. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is an old Welsh proverb most of us are familiar with, but what does an apple contain that provides such great health benefits?

Pectin in the apple helps prevent gut diseases, such as colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. The peel, according to researchers at Cornell University, contains triterpenoids that fight against growth of cancer cells in the pancreas, liver, colon and breast. An apple’s fiber also prevents absorption of LDL, the bad cholesterol that causes clogged arteries.

Research findings by the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease stated that acetylcholine found in apples improved memory and lowered risk of Alzheimer’s.

Antioxidants in apples can destroy free radicals to help ward off diseases such as Parkinson’s. The antioxidant quercitin, found in apples, improves lung function and fortifies the immune system.

Along with preventing disease, an apple is very nutritious and contains high levels of vitamin C and B-complex. Although many fruits are high in sugar, the American Diabetes Association states that apples can safely be eaten by diabetics.

If you would like to plant an apple tree this winter, late November through January is the best time. Apple varieties that require a low number of chill hours to set fruit are ones that will produce fruit in Yuma (zone 10). Low chill hours are the

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PHOTO BY KAREN BOWEN APPLES HAVE HIGH NUTRITION, FIBER AND ANTIOXIDANTS apples in summer. that make them one of the healthiest foods to eat. ‘Anna,’ ‘Dorsett Gold’ and ‘Ein Shemer’ varieties grow well in Yuma and produce