Apple a unique fruit, thanks to the richness of vitamins, fibers and antioxidant molecules. For those suffering from constipation, cooked apples are ideal. It also stimulates diuresis.
Properties And Benefits Of Apples
Renette, golden, anarchy, stark: there are so many varieties of apples. And they give us, throughout the year, a simple fruit, often cheap and very versatile for its many uses in the kitchen. But first of all, a panacea fruit, an authentic concentrate of benefits and properties beneficial for our health: the apple, in its various varieties, is truly a unique case. It helps to lose weight. Protects the heart. Lower bad cholesterol. Counteracts constipation. Rejuvenates the skin. Helps detoxify the liver.
Health Benefits Of Apples
Thanks to the fibers, vitamins and antioxidant molecules it contains, as is also known in popular wisdom, it summarizes everything in the famous motto “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. And it is not just a famous proverb but a reality, as we can see from the most important benefits of this fruit.
It Serves To Eliminate Waste. The apple is rich in water (80%) and fiber (13%), which help our body eliminate waste through the intestine. It also stimulates diuresis and also, through this physiological process, contributes to better detoxification of the organism. This is why apple juice is often used in weight-loss diets . A typical apple weighs 242 grams and provides 126 calories – a great value for using it as a snack when hunger attacks arrive during times when we are trying to lose weight.
Helps Digestion. This fruit also helps protect the stomach (thanks to the pectin, which provides a natural protective patina on its walls when irritated and is a sort of fertilizer for the intestinal flora); it also defends the intestine and purifies the blood. The fat content in apples is almost absent in this fruit. At the same time, vitamins B1 -B2, A and C are present, making it an easily digestible food to be included in the diet of children and the elderly. In a study published in PLoS Medicine, the researchers concluded that thanks to the fibers contained within them, apples slow down digestion, help you feel full and, over time, reduce weight gain. In short: an apple a day before removing the doctor gets rid of kilos, also for children.
It Treats Diarrhea And Fights Constipation. The apple is indicated in cases of gastroenteritis and diarrhea, and, compared to other fruits, it does not ferment in the intestine, so it can also be consumed at the end of a meal. Apple is a natural sweet laxative because it gently helps the intestine, with a refreshing and protective effect on the mucous membranes. For example, for those suffering from constipation, cooked apples are an excellent remedy.
Lower cholesterol. Another substance that apples are very rich in is quercetin, a flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Research from the English University of Reading and the Edmund Mach Foundation of Trentino, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows that two apples a day lower hypercholesterolemia by 4 percent. The same goes for triglycerides.
The Importance Of The Peel. Never as in the case of apples, the advice is to eat the fruit with all the peel, obviously well washed under running water. Another essential molecule possessed by apples, fisetin, is concentrated in the skins.
A Tonic For The Nervous System. This tonic quality of the nervous and muscular systems comes from a fundamental characteristic: the apple is very rich in potassium.
Rejuvenates The Skin. The apple is also an ally for beauty and skincare, acts as a tonic for the lymphatic system and stimulates cell renewal of the epidermal tissue. Thanks to vitamins and mineral salts that have restructuring, nourishing and anti-ageing properties, apple extracts help to regenerate the skin, making it immediately shiny.
It Purifies And Disinfects The Tissues. Vitamin C, present in this fruit, protects the blood microcirculation and is essential for the formation of collagen, the “cement” of the connective tissue, present in the deepest layer of the skin. On the other hand, acids have a mildly anti-inflammatory, purifying and protective action.
Counteracts Acne. Apple cider vinegar is also widely used, obtained from the fermentation of fruits and rich in trace elements with atoning power. The vinegar derived from the fermentation of apples has a beneficial effect on the skin condition known as acne, as two tablespoons of this “nectar” (which must always be diluted with water) are enough to eliminate the skin infection and related symptoms, such as inflammation and swelling that occur on the face.
How To Store Apples
Apples are harvested almost all year round (the only month in which few are seen in June), so they can always be taken fresh and in season. If you consume them within a few days, keep them outdoors (not in summer). To keep them for a long time, choose the refrigerator, where, strictly in the drawer for fruit and vegetables, they can stay up to a month. Low temperatures slow down the production of ethylene, a gas that ripens apples even after harvest.
How To Eat Apples
In general, apples should be eaten raw. In the morning for breakfast, if you prefer, for lunch or dinner. It is not a fruit that risks staying in the stomach. Perhaps accompanied by a hot drink, Apple is also an excellent snack for the afternoon. And it is indicated by the doctor, in its cooked version, when we have stomach problems or during the seasonal flu. As we have said and reasoned, if possible, raw apples are preferable to eat with all the peel. Finally, apples are an essential ingredient in several recipes.
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