Posted on: Saturday, November 23, 2002
PRESCRIPTIONS
An apple a day isn't a cure-all, but it could help keep the doctor away
By Amy Tousman
Is it true that an apple a day will keep the doctor away?
Apples are known to contain several substances that may be helpful in preventing disease. Apples, apple sauce and apple juice may help prevent strokes, heart attacks and some types of cancer.
In the past, scientists didn't think of apples as being a nutritional powerhouse because they are not good sources of vitamin A or vitamin C. These vitamins are considered to be antioxidants. Antioxidants can help prevent cell damage.
Researchers are just beginning to realize the health benefits of the apple. Cornell University researchers found that eating a small apple with its skin provided the total antioxidant activity of 1500 milligrams of Vitamin C. These same researchers found that nutrients contained in both the skin and the flesh of apples inhibited the growth of colon cancer and liver cancer cells (at least in the test tube).
Scientists at the University of Hawai'i's Cancer Research Center found inverse associations between lung cancer risk and the main sources of a substance called quercetin found in apples, onions, and white grapefruit. If these study results can be repeated by other researchers, there is the hope that eating foods such as apples may help prevent lung cancer.
Finnish researchers, writing in the May 2000 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, discussed a 28-year study of quercetin. Apples were the main source of quercetin consumed by those in the study. The researchers concluded that eating apples is related to a reduced risk of stroke.
Other substances in apples such as catchins and pectins may help reduce the risk for heart disease. There are several studies showing that people with very low intakes of these substances, increase their chances of having a heart attack. These substances prevent harmful LDL cholesterol from being turned into plaque that clogs your arteries.
We should avoid hyping apples as "miracle foods" to fix whatever ails us. We need to increase our consumption of all fruits and vegetables. Including at least one apple daily seems like a good idea. After all, it's quite possible that an apple a day may help keep the doctor away.
Amy Tousman is a registered dietitian at Straub Clinic & Hospital Inc., and a member of the Hawai'i Dietetic Association.
Send questions to: Prescriptions, Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; ohana@honoluluadvertiser.com; fax 535-8170. This column is for information only. Consult your health provider for medical advice.
