Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the world. They are high in fiber, vitamin C, and various antioxidants. Making a habit of eating an apple a day can reduce your daily calorie intake and promote long-term weight loss.

1. Nutritional Facts of Apples

Here are the nutritional facts for a whole, unpeeled, medium-sized apple weighing about 100 grams:

• Calories: 52
• Water: 86%
• Protein: 0.3 grams
• Carbs: 13.8 grams
• Sugar: 10.4 grams
• Fiber: 2.4 grams
• Fat: 0.2 grams

From the nutritional facts above, it can be seen that apples are mostly carbs and water. They also contain 10.4 grams of sugar, but this is mostly simple sugars like fructose, sucrose, and glucose.

Despite their high carb and sugar content, apples have a low glycemic index (GI). GI is a measure of how a food affects the rise in blood sugar after eating. Low GI values ​​are associated with various health benefits. Due to their high fiber and polyphenol content, fruits often have a low GI.

Apples contain up to 86% water.

Apples are rich in fiber. A medium-sized apple (100 grams) contains about 4 grams of this nutrient, which is 17% of the daily value. Part of the fiber in apples comes from insoluble fiber and a soluble fiber called pectin.

Apples are known to be a fruit rich in vitamins and minerals. Apples provide the body with a lot of vitamin C. This vitamin is a common antioxidant in fruits.

Apples are rich in antioxidant plant compounds such as:

• Quercetin: A nutrient also found in many plant foods that has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-depressant effects.
• Catechin: A natural antioxidant. Catechin is also found in large amounts in green tea, which helps improve brain and muscle function.
• Chlorogenic acid helps reduce blood sugar and lose weight. Eating apples can reduce daily calorie intake and promote long-term weight loss.

Chlorogenic acid in apples helps lose weight effectively

2. How is eating apples good for your health?

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” – this saying is not wrong, because apples are especially good for your health. Here are the health benefits of apples:

Good for weight loss

The nutritional composition of apples is mainly fiber and water. Fiber can slow down the digestion process so that you feel fuller after eating. This can keep you from overeating. Eating fiber-rich foods like apples will be beneficial for weight loss. In one study, people who ate apples before meals felt fuller than those who did not eat apples.

Eating apples helps you have a healthy heart

Eating apples with the skin helps reduce the risk of rheumatic heart disease. Because apples contain soluble fiber, which helps lower blood cholesterol levels. The skin of apples also contains polyphenols, which have antioxidant effects. One of these polyphenols is the flavonoid epicatechin, which can reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke.

 Reduce the risk of diabetes

In one study, eating an apple a day reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 28% compared to not eating any apples. Even eating a few apples a week had the same effect. The reason apples provide this health benefit is because the polyphenols in apples help prevent tissue damage to the beta cells in the body’s pancreas. The beta cells that produce insulin in the body are often damaged in people with type 2 diabetes.

 Promote beneficial bacteria in the gut

Apples contain pectin – a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic, helping to nourish the beneficial bacteria in your gut. In fact, the small intestine does not absorb fiber during digestion. Instead, fiber goes to the colon – where it can promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, turning it into other useful compounds that circulate back through the body.

Helps Prevent Cancer

Apples contain several natural compounds that may help fight cancer.

Contains compounds that help fight asthma

Apples are rich in antioxidants, which protect the lungs from oxidative damage. Apple peels contain the flavonoid quercetin, which helps regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. These two effects help reduce asthma and allergic reactions.

Good for bone health

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in apples can promote bone health. Eating more fruit helps preserve bone mass as you age.

 Protect against stomach injury from NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective in relieving pain, but they damage the stomach lining of people who take them. Apples contain compounds called chlorogenic acid and catechins, which help protect stomach cells from damage caused by NSAIDs.

3. Some notes when eating apples

Although apples are good for your health, eating too much can make you gain weight. Here are some notes when eating apples:

• Pesticides: Apples are one of the fruits with high pesticide residues. Always make sure you wash them before eating.
• Apple seeds: Eating apple seeds is really dangerous, can lead to poisoning if you eat a large amount. Apple seeds contain chemicals that turn into cyanide in the body. In fact, an average adult would have to eat at least 150 crushed seeds to be at risk of cyanide poisoning.
• Apple juice can interact with the allergy medication fexofenadine (Allegra). The juice makes the drug difficult to absorb.
• Choose the freshest apples, with no bruises or bruises on the skin.
• Keeping apples in the refrigerator will keep them fresh longer.
• When eating apples, eat the skin because most of the fiber in apples is in the skin.