An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!

Pink Lady. Braeburn. Ginger Gold. Fuji. Red Delicious. Gala. It's fall and farmer's markets abound with apples. Your refrigerator produce drawer should likewise be overflowing with these powerful packages of nature's nutrients!

Science backs up the many health benefits of consuming apples. Apples reduce the risk of some cancers, particularly lung cancer. 

As if that isn't enough, apples contain powerful phytochemicals that work as antioxidants, combating the free radicals produced by normal cell processes. One of these naturally occurring phytochemicals is quercetin which helps give apples their color. Just one of the many stellar properties of quercetin is its ability to lower blood pressure. Many of the nutrients are found just beneath the skin, so in order to get the maximum phytochemicals that apples can offer, don't throw the peels away.

There are 7,500 different types of apples. In his video below, Dr. Michael Greger reports that 21 varieties were recently evaluated to see which ones were the most nutritious. Out of the 21 tested, Idared apples have the highest nutrient content, followed by Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cortland, Braeburn, Gala, Empire, Golden Delicious, Macintosh, and Fuji; Golden Nuggets came in last.

Both Dr. Joel Fuhrman and the Pritikin Longevity Center have great articles specifically on the benefits of apples. If you'd like to partner with an M.D. who has studied how a plant-based diet prevents and reverses disease, read my article "Prevent-Reverse Disease with a Plant-Based Doctor." At the end of the article, there are resources to help you find a physician who believes in plant-based nutrition.

By the way, my favorite apple is a crunchy Honeycrisp. Use the comment section below, and let me know which variety of apple you like best!

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