Why does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Apples have many benefits: they have no cholesterol or fat, are low in calories and sodium, and are even high in Vitamin C. Apples can help with bone, heart, and gastrointestinal health, and reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and asthma.

There are many different types of apples:

• Red Delicious
• Gala   
• Fuji
• Honey Crisp
• Pink Lady
• Granny Smith (The green apples)
• Golden Delicious (The yellow apples

What are the benefits of Apples?

Apples reduce the risk of heart disease because they are rich in antioxidants, which protect the body from free radical damage caused by cigarette smoke, pollutants, UV radiation and inflammation in the body. A study by the University of Western Australia Medical School found that these antioxidants can also help with lowering blood pressure levels, lipid levels, inflammation and hyperglycaemia (high glucose levels which can lead to diabetes and other diseases). Another study linked the antioxidants in apples with reducing the incidence of asthma too.

Eating just an apple a day can lead to a 28% reduction of risk of type 2 diabetes, as the antioxidants within can protect pancreatic cells from damage. When blood sugar levels get too high, the pancreas secretes insulin to lower it. Failure to do so leads to diabetes.

Apples can even protect you from many types of cancers, especially lung cancer for smokers and former smokers. (Not that you should be smoking in the first place!) They can also assist with lowering stroke risk because of their high potassium count which assists with controlling your blood pressure.

Consuming apples helps boost your nerve cells in your brain by increasing acetylcholine production, which lowers the chance of Alzheimer’s disease and improves your memory too. In fact, a diet known as the Nordic Prudent Dietary Pattern, or the NPDP, consists of vegetables and fruits like apples. People who followed the diet had better cognitive function, which protects against mental diseases like dementia.

Red apples can also strengthen your immune system, once again because of an antioxidant -quercetin. They can also increase bone density, strengthening bones which prevents osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

Instead of drinking juices before you go to bed, you can reduce your risk of tooth decay by drinking apple juice at mealtimes, as recommended by the British Dental Association. Chewing on an apple can be beneficial too, by reducing tooth decay as it stimulates saliva production in your mouth. Research at Aberdeen University showed that apples are beneficial for children too. Kids with asthma who drank apple juice had reduced inflammation in the airways, leading to relief in their symptoms.

Looking at all the health benefits of apples, it is no surprise that Antidote has included them in many of our juices, from the nourishing Sweet Greens to the digestion-enhancing Spicy Tonic. It is always a good idea to include a healthy amount of fruits and vegetables into your diet. Now you know that an apple a day can truly keep the doctor away!