“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

– Proverbial

Photo by Michał Grosicki on Unsplash

The other day while I was at my health club, I noticed one of the personal trainers eating an apple. Perhaps because I have quotes on my mind all the time, I found myself saying this familiar phrase.

When I got to my office that day—after eating my daily apple—I decided to do a bit of research on this and found that apples:

• Contain about five grams of soluble fiber, shown to reduce intestinal disorders such as diverticulitis and possibly some forms of cancer.
• Contain pectin which can help to reduce cholesterol levels by lowering insulin secretions.
• Can lower the risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma, if eaten regularly.
• Are low in calories and packed with vitamins A, C, flavonoids, and as many as 12,000 other phytonutrients to support good health.
• Apple cider vinegar has been shown to prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Exercise:

Consider going to your local market or specialty grocer, and go on an apple safari. Select at least five and perhaps up to a dozen different varieties – and do a taste test to see which you prefer.

Some of my favorites are:

• Honeycrisp
• Jazz
• Fuji
• Pink Lady
• Granny Smith
• Gala
• Empire
• Northern Spy