Apples (especially Red Delicious)

“Terpenoids (in apples and other fruits and vegetables) have been found to be useful in the prevention and therapy of several diseases, including cancer, and also to have antimicrobial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, anti-allergenic, antispasmodic, antihyperglycemic, antiinflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.” (4)

Cancer

Apples have been shown to slow the growth of, stop or kill lung cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer. Also, because they are high in Vitamin C and fiber, there is evidence they fight colorectal, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, and esophageal cancer.

Don’t peel that apple! Most of the nutrients in apples are in the peel. A recent study by the Department of Dermatology at the University of Wisconsin found that the peel of organic Gala apples showed a decrease in growth and clonogenic survival of both breast and prostate carcinoma. They also found a marked increase in a tumor suppressor protein that negatively regulates cell invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. (1)

Apples seem to have an affinity for the respiratory tract, especially the lungs. Many studies from several different cultures have shown that apples are effective at preventing lung cancer. A study in Hawaii showed that apples and onions reduced the risk of lung cancer in both males and females. Smoking history and food intake was assessed for 582 patients with lung cancer and 582 control subjects without lung cancer. There was a 40–50% decreased risk in lung cancer in participants with the highest intake of apples, onions, and white grapefruit when compared to those who consumed the lowest amount of these fruits. The decreased risk in lung cancer was seen in both men and women and in almost all ethnic groups. No associations were seen with red wine, black tea or green tea. Both onions and apples are high in flavonoids, especially quercetin and quercetin conjugates. (8)

Further, in a study to determine if quercetin from red apples and onions kills liver cancer cells, RH Lee and associates showed that quercetin can induce apoptotic cell death by regulating cell cycle and suppressing antiapoptotic proteins.(3)

The quercetin compounds in red delicious apple peels, When tested against liver and breast cancer cells, “showed potent antiproliferative activities against HepG2 and MCF-7 (cancer) cells.” (5)

Cardiovascular and Heart Benefits

Apples contain a special soluble fibre, pectin, that lowers LDL cholesterol by binding with it in the stomach, helping the liver remove it from the blood, and by reducing the rate of oxidation in the arteries. A recent study at the University of Oxford in the UK found that eating an apple everyday could replace statins in the control of cholesterol in older people, and a study at Florida State University found that older women who ate apples everyday had 23% less LDL cholesterol and 4% more HDL cholesterol. (10)

Pectin also protects the heart. In a study at the School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Republic of Korea, researchers found that pectin protected the heart against natural cell death when an arterial blockage caused a shortage of blood and oxygen. They also found that apples helped protect the arteries from plaque building up on the artery walls. (9)

Dementia and Alzheimer’s

There is evidence that apples also prevent Alzhiemers and other forms of dementia by preventing the decline of an essential neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine. Dr. Chan at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA has completed several studies using apples and apple juice to determine their effect on the brain.

In one study, Dr. Chan and associates deprived mice of the antioxidants Vitamin E and folate and gave them excessive iron to promote oxidation. They fed one group of nutrient-deprived mice apple juice in their water. The control group weren’t given the apple juice. The mice getting apple juice weren’t affected by the lack of vitamin K and folate, while older mice among the control group demonstrated statistically-increased oxidative damage and poorer performance in a maze.(11) This research not only showed that apples can help prevent cognitive decline, it also demonstrated the importance of antioxidants from fruits such as apples.

Lung Benefits

Several studies have confirmed that apples, especially red delicious or granny smith apples, optimize lung and respiratory system function. In one study researchers at St George’s Hospital medical school in London found lung function in middle-aged men at the end of the five-year period was significantly better in those with high consumption of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, citrus fruits, apples and fruit juices. However, after adjusting for differences between the men such as weight, smoking and exercise only apples still stood out as having a beneficial effect on breathing.

Apples Promote Weight Loss

Eating two apples a day causes weight loss in overweight people. Some fiber and polyphenols in apples don’t digest but ferment when they reach the colon, providing food for good bacteria. The good bacteria become more numerous than bad bacteria that prefer unhealthy foods, restoring the natural microbial balance. Having the right balance of bacteria in the colon reduces chronic inflammation and boosts feelings of fullness.

According to researchers at washington State University, Granny Smith apples have the highest levels of fiber and polyphenols that promote healthy bacteria levels. They tested Granny Smiths against Braeburn, Gala, Mcintosh, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious.

“We know that, in general, apples are a good source of these non-digestible compounds but there are differences in varieties,” said food scientist, Giuliana Noratto, the study’s lead researcher. “Results from this study will help consumers to discriminate between apple varieties that can aid in the fight against obesity.”

Eating Granny Smith apples changed the proportions of bad to good bacteria from obese mice to be more like the bacteria in healthy, lean mice. Researchers believe the results of this study could help prevent disorders associated with obesity that result from chronic inflammation, such as diabetes.

Special note: Most of the good stuff in apples is in the skin. If you peel them, you lose about fifty percent of their nutritional value. Try them in my Good for the body, Good for the lungs smoothie!

Also, apple seeds, peach seeds and apricot seeds contain amygdalin, which degrades into hydrogen cyanide in the body. It’s this chemical that gives them their bitter taste. Hydrogen cyanide is a natual cell killer, including cancer cells. However, the seeds don’t contain enough amygdalin to poison us. Our body’s detoxification system easily destroys the cyanide by forming a new molecule that can be excreted if it attempts to harm our healthy cells. Detoxification doesn’t work the same way in Cancer cells. Evidence suggests the cyanide from seeds does kill cancer cells.