Two fruits a day could have an impact on cholesterol (Image: Getty)
An apple a day could genuinely help you avoid the doctor – and two is even better – according to nutrition specialists who indicate that eating this everyday fruit can substantially reduce cholesterol levels. The key to the apple’s health-boosting properties resides in its skin and core, which contain high levels of pectina soluble fibre.
Studies have demonstrated that pectin is instrumental in controlling blood cholesterol levels, which are associated with cardiovascular disease risk.
Results from research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who ate two apples daily throughout an eight-week timeframe experienced a significant reduction in cholesterol. Yet, this outcome was not achieved through consuming apple juice, which is devoid of the advantageous fibre. As 6 apples can be bought in Tesco for just 99p, this means it can be achieved for just £33p a day.
A team of scientists led by the University of Reading in collaboration with the Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM) Institute, Italy found that eating apples which were rich in fibre and compounds called polyphenols reduced the amount of total and LDL cholesterol and improved markers associated with blood vessel health in participants who had slightly raised blood cholesterol levels.
Professor Julie Lovegrove, Director of the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition at the University of Reading said when the report was released: “This latest study shows that the impact of an easy to implement dietary change could have an important impact on key measures of heart disease risk. A particular interest in this study is how the two whole apples, rather than a sugar and calorie matched apple juice drink, has had a significant effect on markers of heart health of participants.
“It seems the old adage of an apple day was nearly right.”
The team used Renetta Canada apples grown in the Trentino Italy, which were rich in a type of polyphenol compound called proanthocyanidins (PAs) and a matched apple juice squash as a control. While the control drink was similar in calories and total sugar the whole apple used had significantly higher proportions of fibre (8.5g vs <0.5g, respectively) and total polyphenol content (990mg vs 2.5mg, respectively).
Dr Thanasis Koutsos, who performed the study, said: “One of the clear findings from this study is that simple small changes in our diet such as the daily introduction of 2 apples may have an important impact on markers of heart health.
“We don’t yet know whether the fibre that is found in the apple or the polyphenol which is in significantly greater concentration in the apples we used is responsible for the results. Either way, the clear winner here is the whole food”
Nutritionist Eli Brecher praised the benefits of apples, saying: “Apples are a nutrient-dense fruit, containing 10 per cent of your daily vitamin C intake, alongside copper, vitamin K and vitamin E. An apple a day is a great habit for a healthy heart as not only does the pectin help to lower cholesterol but the polyphenols in apples are linked to lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of a stroke.”
In a separate study, participants with slightly raised cholesterol levels who consumed two large apples daily over eight weeks saw their ‘bad’ cholesterol fall by nearly four per cent. This decline could potentially lower their risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack, conditions frequently brought on by cholesterol-related artery blockages.
