An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Here are the secrets to eating apples correctly!

The popular fruit "Apple" is suitable for all ages. Its high nutritional value has long been confirmed by numerous scientific studies. It not only has strong antioxidant and anti-cancer effects, but is also a good fruit for weight loss, lowering the three highs, and aiding bowel movements. The long-standing saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is well known to everyone, but how should it be eaten? When to eat? Who is actually not suitable to eat it? You must know the correct way to eat apples!

Apples are available in Taiwan all year round and are the most well-known model of good fruit! Many scientific studies have confirmed that apples are the "king of fruits" that have many benefits to human health. Whether eaten fresh or cooked, they are loved by health-conscious people. Every autumn, it is the peak season for Taiwan's local apples. The apples produced at this time are of course the freshest and most delicious, with high nutritional value and great health benefits.

The anti-cancer fruit and vegetable champion is eaten with the skin, depending on the person

Chen Yanqian, a nutritionist at Taichung Veterans General Hospital, said that apples are the champion of anti-cancer fruits and vegetables promoted by the American Cancer Society. The peel has high nutritional value and is rich in phytochemicals, including polyphenols, myricetin, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, etc. The polyphenols and chlorogenic acid have antioxidant effects, which can prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Myricetin can stabilize blood sugar, and quercetin can protect the bronchi. The pulp contains pectin and potassium ions, which can lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, promote intestinal motility, improve constipation, and prevent colorectal cancer. Therefore, eating apples with the skin is best for your health.

Chen Yanqian reminded that apple cores contain a small amount of harmful substance "hydrogen cyanide", so remember to avoid eating them.

In the body, it is harmful to health. Cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and have reduced immunity should not eat apples with skin. It is recommended to peel the apples or even blanch them in hot water before eating them, and avoid eating them raw, so as to prevent harmful substances attached to the skin from entering the body and causing harm.

The most nutritious part of an apple is its skin, because the effective ingredients such as vitamins and pectin are mostly contained in the skin and the part near the skin. From a nutritional point of view, it is best to eat apples with the skin, because compared with the flesh, apple skin contains more antioxidants. Generally speaking, if the apple surface contains natural fruit wax or an artificial preservative wax made of chitosan, it can be washed clean with hot water and is harmless to the body. There is also another type of wax, which may leave a layer of reddish substance when you wash or wipe it. It is recommended not to buy it. If you buy it accidentally, you must peel it before eating it.

12 nutrients in apple

❶ Apple phenol: It has antioxidant effects, can prevent tooth decay, inhibit the production of melanin and enzymes, prevent high blood pressure, inhibit allergic reactions, and has anti-allergic effects.

❷Malic acid: Contains 17 kinds of amino acids, 7 of which are needed by the human body but cannot be synthesized by itself. It is rich in tannins and various fruit acids, which can help digestion, stabilize blood sugar and prevent diabetes in the elderly (diabetic patients can choose sour apples).

❸Flavonoids: A Finnish study pointed out that the flavonoids contained in apples are effective substances in reducing the incidence of cancer.

❹Vitamin C: protects cardiovascular system, inhibits skin melanin, helps eliminate spots, and increases hemoglobin. Combined with fruit acids and antioxidants, it helps to beautify the skin.

❺Vitamin H: It is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for maintaining human functions and growth, and also belongs to the vitamin B group. It is a necessary substance for the synthesis of vitamin C and is also indispensable for the normal metabolism of fat and protein.

❻Pectin: It is a water-soluble dietary fiber that can reduce the number of harmful bacteria in the intestines, help breed beneficial bacteria, regulate the body's blood sugar level, promote the discharge of lead, mercury and harmful substances in the gastrointestinal tract, and help detoxification.

❼ Potassium: Potassium ions can effectively protect blood vessels, reduce the incidence of hypertension and stroke, and combine with excess sodium to be excreted from the body, thereby lowering blood pressure.

❽ Zinc: It can help enhance children’s memory and is beneficial for improving intelligence.

❾Lycopene & anthocyanins: can prevent heart disease, urinary system diseases and prostate cancer.

❿Folic acid: It is the main component of B vitamins and can prevent heart disease.

⓫Resveratrol: It is a non-flavonoid phenolic substance that can reduce inflammation of the respiratory system including the trachea and lungs, and help control diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

⓬ Boron & Manganese: These are mineral elements that can strengthen bones. Research in the United States has found that boron can significantly increase the concentration of estrogen and other compounds in the blood, and can effectively prevent calcium loss. Women entering menopause should eat more apples, which is beneficial to the absorption and utilization of calcium and can prevent osteoporosis.

Cooking is also nutritious, but you have to eat it at the right time

Although eating apples raw with the skin on is good for health, for people who do not eat raw food, cooking apples before eating still has good nutritional value, just like cooking pears has the effect of relieving cough, reducing phlegm and moistening the lungs. Studies have shown that the content of natural antioxidants such as polyphenols in boiled apples will increase significantly, which can lower blood sugar and blood lipids, resist oxidation, inhibit cholesterol, and eliminate free radicals. In addition, the apple pectin is more stable after moderate heating, which can further absorb bacteria and toxins in the intestines and help detoxification.

How to cook apples? For people with bad teeth, you can peel the apples, cook them and blend them into apple puree for consumption; you can also peel them, cut them into pieces and cook them with glutinous rice into "apple glutinous rice porridge" to relieve diarrhea; or you can cook them with black tea or green tea to drink as tea to aid digestion; you can simply wrap them in tin foil and put them in the oven to make baked apples, which is also a cooked way to eat them.

Chen Yanqian reminds that eating fruits after heating them may promote digestion, but the water-soluble vitamins in them that are not resistant to high temperatures will be destroyed, affecting their presence.

Eat apples before meals to help detoxify and regulate blood sugar

Many people believe that eating fruit after meals is a good habit, but studies have found that eating fruit after meals can easily cause food to be blocked in the stomach, causing bloating, constipation, and leading to indigestion. It is recommended to eat apples half an hour before meals. This can not only help detoxify and reduce calorie intake, but also protect the immune system from the adverse stimulation of cooked food, which is beneficial to the immune system, and various nutrients are also easier to absorb. For example, eating apples before breakfast can absorb phosphorus, which is suitable for people who work with their brains or have blood pressure problems. If eaten in the evening or before dinner, it can regulate blood sugar and help facilitate bowel movements.

However, people with poor stomachs are advised to wait two hours after a meal before eating apples to prevent the fruit acid in the apple from mixing with stomach acid and increasing the burden on the stomach. People with ulcerative colitis should not eat apples raw, as the crude fiber and organic acid will irritate the gastrointestinal tract.

Nourishes the lungs and spleen, and its aroma fights depression

There were records as early as the Tang Dynasty that apples not only benefit the heart and strengthen the spleen, but also can promote salivation and quench thirst. Apples are medicinal and have the effects of moistening the lungs and pleasing the heart, promoting fluid production and appetizing, strengthening the spleen and aiding digestion, and sobering up and nourishing the heart. The aroma of apples has a calming effect on the mind and inducing sleep, and it is a good remedy for treating depression and repression. It is a good fruit for beauty and anti-aging. Apart from the above two groups who need to be careful when eating apples, apples can be said to be a health care product suitable for the whole family!

15 health benefits

❶Prevent the formation of gallstones: It can reduce the cholesterol content in the blood, increase bile secretion and bile acid function, and prevent cholesterol from precipitating in the bile to form gallstones.

❷Prevent osteoporosis: Studies have found that phlorizin, a compound found only in apples, can reduce bone loss associated with inflammation. Apple's plant hormones and trace element boron help restore estrogen levels and effectively prevent calcium loss.

❸Prevent dementia: The phenolic substances it contains have antioxidant effects and protect nerve cells.

❹ Helps fight cancer: Studies have shown that eating more than one apple (about medium size) a day can reduce the incidence of cancers such as colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer by 9-42%.

❺Protection of the prostate: Foreign studies have found that eating 2 to 3 apples a day can provide sufficient zinc, which can synergistically treat prostatitis and prevent recurrence. Apple juice or jam can also be used.

❻ Protect teeth: It can protect teeth, prevent tooth decay and gingivitis, and prevent periodontal disease. Botanists have found through experiments that if you eat an apple within 15 minutes, the organic acid and fruit acid can kill 99% of the bacteria in your mouth.

❼ Stop diarrhea: Since apples contain more pectin than other fruits, they help balance intestinal flora and prevent diarrhea. You can also cook the apples to soften the fiber before eating to ease intestinal motility.

❽ Laxative and aids digestion: Gelatin can absorb a large amount of water, soften the digested residue, prevent constipation and enhance detoxification. Eating an apple two hours after a meal can have a certain effect on nausea and indigestion.

❾ Treat hiccups: Apple cider vinegar helps restore stomach acid levels to normal and relieve hiccups.

❿Relieve cramps: Cramps may be caused by a lack of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins B and C, etc.

⓫Prevent asthma: A British study found that if adults eat at least two apples a week, the risk of asthma can be reduced by 1/3. Another study found that children whose mothers ate apples during pregnancy had a significantly lower risk of asthma before the age of 5.

⓬Relieve menstrual period problems: Phytoestrogens help balance estrogen levels and prevent excessive menstrual bleeding or dysmenorrhea caused by estrogen disorders.

⓭ Relieve pregnancy reactions: On the one hand, it can supplement nutrients, while regulating the balance of water, salt and electrolytes, preventing acidosis caused by frequent vomiting, and also reducing the chance of the fetus suffering from whooping cough or asthma.

⓮Improve the respiratory system: It can improve the respiratory system and lung function, and protect the lungs against air pollution.

⓯ Neutralize acidic substances: Apples are alkaline and can quickly neutralize excess acidic substances in the body.

Low in calories, high in fiber, a sacred fruit for weight loss

Eating apples does have many benefits. Not only are they low in calories and high in fiber, they are also a low-GI food that is very suitable for diabetics, people who are losing weight, or those with three high problems. However, people suffering from gastroenteritis should peel the skin before eating. Apples are known as the "holy fruit for weight loss", and Fuji apples with skin have the lowest calories, only 45 calories per 100 grams. In addition, the dietary fiber content is not low, so eating apples to lose weight has always been a highly recommended method.

But from a nutritional point of view, if you eat apples with high sugar content as a diet meal, you should be careful that the effect may not be good and it may harm your health. Chen Yanqian emphasized that true healthy weight loss should include a balanced diet with appropriate portions and exercise. If you only eat apples for every meal, you may lose weight in the early stages due to reduced calorie intake, but in the long run, your health may be affected due to uneven nutritional intake.

Apple 3 dishes

◎Shrimp, Apple and Cheese Salad

Ingredients: 2 apples, 250 grams of white shrimp, 100 grams of asparagus or 200 grams of broccoli, 100 grams of corn shoots, and some rice wine.

Lemon vinaigrette: 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoons olive oil or flaxseed oil, 2 slices of cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt (seasoning can be adjusted according to personal taste).

practice:

❶ Bring a pot of boiling water, add 3 tablespoons of rice wine when the water boils, pour in the shrimps and cook until fully cooked, then remove from the water and soak in ice water, peel and set aside.

❷Boil the cauliflower, asparagus or corn until cooked, then remove and set aside.

❸ Cut the top of the apple flat, scoop out the inside with a spoon, remove the seeds, and soak the scooped apple flesh in lemon water to prevent oxidation and blackening (the ratio of lemon water is 2 cups of water to half a lemon).

❹ Whisk the lemon vinaigrette until smooth.

❺ Fill the apple cup with apple flesh, broccoli, corn shoots, and shrimp, drizzle with lemon vinaigrette, and garnish with cheese strips. (You can make an apple cup or just peel and cut the apples into pieces and mix them into a salad plate)

◎ Apple and Mushroom Chicken Soup

Ingredients: 2 chicken legs, 2 slices of old ginger, 2 tablespoons of rice wine or Shaoxing wine, 1 garlic clove, appropriate amounts of mushrooms and white onion segments, and you can add corn segments or carrot cubes, yam cubes, and wolfberries as you like.

practice:

❶ First, cut the chicken legs into sections, blanch them and let them cool. Then put the mushrooms, corn, garlic and other ingredients into the pot and cook until boiling. Boil for about 10 minutes, then add the apples. After about 10 minutes, add the blanched chicken and simmer in the rice cooker for another 10 to 15 minutes (if there are elders at home, the simmering time can be extended to soften the meat, which is more suitable for the elders to eat).

❷ No other seasoning is needed, and the unique sweet taste of apples can enhance the deliciousness of the chicken soup.

◎Apple Chicken Curry Rice

Ingredients: 300 grams of chicken breast or pork tenderloin, 1 apple, 200 grams of potatoes, 200 grams of carrots, 150 grams of onions, 2 teaspoons of curry powder.

Marinade: 1 tablespoon rice wine, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, a little soy sauce, salt and pepper.

practice:

❶Cut the chicken into pieces, add all the marinade ingredients, knead and marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes.

❷Cut apples, carrots, onions, and potatoes into cubes. Boil carrots and potatoes first.

❸ Heat a pan over medium-low heat, add a little oil, stir-fry onions, carrots, and potatoes until the onion aroma comes out.

❹Add curry powder and stir-fry until the curry aroma comes out, then add water to cover all the ingredients and bring to a boil.

❺Add the marinated chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

❻Add apples and appropriate amount of black pepper. You can taste it now and decide whether to add curry powder or season with a little salt or soy sauce based on your personal taste. If it is not thick enough, you can thicken it with a little cornstarch or cornstarch. Otherwise, add appropriate amount of water.

❼Finally, continue cooking over low heat for about 10 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are cooked and soft.

2 major groups should avoid eating apples!

❶ People with cold stomach: Since apples are cold in nature, people with cold stomach should not eat apples. Apples are alkaline and nourishing in nature, sweet, sour and flat. Eating too much will aggravate the condition of people with cold stomach. Do not blindly eat one apple a day. It is recommended to eat one every two or three days.

❷ Patients with ulcerative colitis: It is best for these patients not to eat apples, especially during acute attacks. This is because apples with a hard texture contain crude fiber and organic acids, which are very unfavorable for the healing of the intestinal wall that has become weak due to ulcers. Instead, they can easily induce complications such as intestinal perforation, intestinal dilatation, and intestinal infarction. Be careful!

How to choose good apples?

When choosing apples, it is best to choose those that are undamaged, round, fragrant, and firm enough. Generally, apples can be stored at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, and can be stored longer in the refrigerator. Before eating, take them out to cool and it is best to eat them immediately after cutting. If they already have a slight sour taste, it may be due to bacterial fermentation, so it is recommended not to eat them. Apple oxidation cannot be completely avoided. It is common to soak apples in salt water to delay oxidation and browning, but they will still change color if soaked for a long time. It is recommended to eat apples immediately after peeling them to better preserve their nutrients. If they are soaked in salt water for a long time, there is a concern that they will absorb too much salt.