Apples high in antioxidants

Eating apples is good for our health as they can help to keep heart disease and cancer at bay.

Fruits and vegetables provide flavonoids, a large group of compounds that are all antioxidants. In particular, apple has been found to contain a high quantity.

In case you don’t already know, antioxidants are good for our well-being, because they stabilise highly reactive free radicals and protect our blood vessels, thereby lowering our risks of developing cancer and heart disease.

While apples contain only modest amounts of vitamin C — a medium apple averages about 6 milligrams of vitamin C as opposed to the recommended daily intake for adults of 75 to 90 milligrams — scientists have calculated that antioxidant power of that apple is equal to more than 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C. The vast majority of its antioxidants come from flavonoids.

Along with antioxidant protection, apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps lower blood cholesterol. In addition, laboratory studies show that concentrated apple compounds can inhibit growth and reproduction of colon and lung cancer cells.

So there’s indeed truth in the saying: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. And while you load up on those apples, always remember to eat them fresh and raw.