5 Hidden Medicinal Benefits of Apples

Apples, those sweet fruits that you have loved since childhood, are conveniently beneficial for so many things. There are many healthful reasons explaining their irresistible nature throughout history. Red, green, yellow - any apple will do to boost your well-being!

1. Aid Weight Loss

Fiber is extremely important for staying in shape. Most people do not get enough fiber throughout the day. An apple provide one-fifth of your daily fiber requirement. They contain pectin in particular, a type of soluble fiber that keeps you full much longer.¹

Eating an apple before a meal will crowd your belly with nutrients so that you are too full to eat foods that will turn to fat.² The fiber can also work by binding with fatty foods in the stomach, thereby helping to release them from your system. This will lower your cholesterol and curb weight gain. Overall, apples get things moving. After filling you and helping draw out fat from the stomach, they are then easily digested and eliminated from the body.

2. Help Clean your Teeth

Apples promote saliva production, which prevents plaque from forming.³ Plaque is a layer of bacteria that can cover the teeth, making them yellow and ultimately decayed without proper hygiene. Apples also have an abrasive texture, similar to a toothbrush, which works as a scrub for your teeth as you chomp down. All of these factors contribute to a white smile. Though apples can "brush your teeth" in a pinch, it is still recommended to clean your teeth with toothpaste and a toothbrush after every meal when possible.

3. Boost Immunity

The abundance of antioxidants and other nutrients found in apples, such as flavonoids (mainly quercetin) and triterpenoids, are now known to provide a mild boost to the immune system, but strong enough to keep you from falling pray to the passing cold viruses that often plague autumn gatherings. These compounds are found primarily in the skin, so make sure not to peel your apples!

4. Preserve Memory

Studies have found that apples slow down the aging process of the brain.⁴ This delightful fruit heightens the levels of neurotransmitters responsible for retaining memory health. Alzheimer's disease may be largely avoided by eating an apple every day. If you are feeling forgetful, you know what to do.

5. Support Liver Function

The liver is responsible for cleansing out toxins. In this culture, we fill ourselves with a lot of toxins, whether it is indirectly from environmental pollutants or directly through excessive alcohol and artificially flavored foods. This can be a lot for the liver to take on and often results in liver damage. Apples are rich in quercetin, a powerful antioxidant flavonoid that helps detoxify the body, thereby making it easier on your liver.^5,6

Apples have become very prevalent, and with good reason. All the hidden medicinal benefits make apples an excellent daily snack or an addition to meals. With so many varieties to choose from, there's no reason not to partake in the health benefits they provide.