8 HEALTH BENEFITS OF APPLES

It’s no surprise that apples are good for you—it’s earned the
“keep the doctor away” reputation, after all—but there are a
number of lesser-known reasons to pick up a juicy one today:

1. Apples lower cholesterol. One medium-sized apple contains
about four grams of fiber. Some of that is in the form of pectin,
a type of soluble fiber that has been linked to lower levels of
LDL or “bad” cholesterol. That’s because it blocks absorption of
cholesterol, according to WebMD, which helps the body to use it
rather than store it.

2. They keep you full. The wealth of fiber an apple provides keep
you feeling full for longer without costing you a lot of
calories—there are about 95 in a medium-sized piece of fruit.
That’s because it takes our bodies longer to digest complex fiber
than more simple materials like sugar or refined grains. Anything
with at least three grams of fiber is a good source of the
nutrient; most people should aim to get about 25 to 40 grams a
day.

3. Apples may keep you slim. One component of an apple’s peel
(which also has most of the fiber) is something called ursolic
acid, which was linked to a lower risk of obesity in a recent
study in mice. That’s because it boosts calorie burn and
increases muscle and brown fat, HuffPost UK reports.

4. They can help breathing problems. Five or more apples a week
(less than an apple a day!) has been linked with better lung
function, most likely because of an antioxidant called quercetin
found in the skin of apples (as well as in onions and tomatoes),
the BBC reports. The breath benefits of apples extend even
further: A 2007 study found that women who eat plenty of the
fruit are less likely to have children with asthma.