Apples are one of healthiest food in its category. Regular intake of apples has cardiovascular benefits due to the fact that they are rich in polyphenols found in the skin of an apple.
Presence of soluble fiber such as pectin in Apples helps lower artery damage and prevents cholesterol from building up in the lining of the blood vessel. This in turn prevents heart disease.
An article that was published by the "Journal of Food Science" in 2009 reported that the antioxidants present in apple peel offers protection against heart ailments. This it does by stopping the oxidation of polyunsaturated fats as the oxidation of these fats raise the risk of heart related ailments. Apple also contains flavonoids such as quercetin which prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Food scientists say that 1.5 glasses of apple juice daily is sufficient to bring down the level of bad cholesterol. One study showed that having 100 grams of apples every day (with the skin) offers good amount of antioxidants.
Apple polyphenols are nutrients in the fruit which acts as antioxidants with ability to decrease oxidation of cell membrane fats. This is important in cardiovascular system since oxidation of fats in lining of membranes is a primary risk factor for clogging of arteries. Apples also help in maintaining volume of the blood.
Research Study
In a study done in 2011, Women who ate 75 grams of apples each day for 6 months witnessed a 23 percent lower level of bad cholesterol. Another study proved that people who ate more apples had a lower risk of stroke; this attributed the results to quercetin an antioxidant in apples. In this study, food habits and lifestyle was studied of 9,208 people for 28 years.
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