Remember to reach for an apple when 'three-thirty-itis' strikes today...
It’s likely your mother once convinced you to eat apples with the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and a new study has proven that she is right on the money.
A CSIRO report commissioned by Horticulture Australia has revealed that apples help with a range of health problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes, allergies and obesity.
Professor Manny Noakes, a CSIRO senior research dietician involved with the study, says that apples can help with weight loss due to their low glycaemic index. That is, the natural sugar in apples is released slowly into the bloodstream which reduces cravings for sweet foods.
Speaking on the
Today Show, Professor Noakes said that apples are a perfect snack for the weight-conscious.
“[Apples] take a long time to eat and consequently they can help to control appetite and therefore weight control,” she said.
If you suffer from hay fever, apples may be the answer to combating the associated symptoms. The study found that polyphenols, found in the skin of apples, work as an antihistamine counteracting the effects of hay fever - take that, runny nose.
The research also indicates that the amount of polyphenols in three apples (there’s around 200 milligrams in one apple) is enough to reduce cholesterol levels by five to eight per cent.
They’re delicious and are a great source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and potassium. So get munching!
By Edwina Carr
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