“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This well known saying points to the very heart of holistic medicine: that food is the best prevention for illness. Not only can a healthy diet prevent dis-ease, but it can help your body to slow symptoms of aging, have more energy, stay in balance with your environment and help you to heal when you are sick.
There is a good reason that this saying has prevailed through time. There is a lot of truth to the dis-ease prevention properties of apples. And as we end summer and move into autumn, apples should be a key component of your daily diet. Your body has accumulated lots of internal heat through the summer, which can cause dryness in the bowels, lungs and skin. One of the easiest way to dispel this heat is to eat foods that will loosen the stools enough to move that heat down and out. That’s right: poop out the heat, people.
The skins of apples are high in pectin, which is a kind of fiber. Fiber is like a maid service for your intestines, keeping things tidy and clean down there, which is a very good thing. Pectin is also shown to remove cholesterol, toxic metals such as lead and mercury, and the residues of radiation. Even though apples are high in sugar, the absorption of sugar is slowed down significantly by the pectin. Plus, “research has shown that apples have numerous nutrients that actually support blood sugar.*” Here are some more handy & nutritious facts about apples and blood sugar: (from Dr. John Douillard, an Ayurvedic practitioner out of Boulder, Colorado).
- Quercitin in apples may slow the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars in the gut, thus supporting blood sugar (3).*
- Polyphenols in apples may lower the rate of glucose absorption, decreasing blood sugar spikes.
- Apples support the pancreas to produce more insulin to help support blood sugar(3).* (Douillard, 2011)
Apples also sweep your teeth of debris. My mom used to bring me an apple when she picked me up from school when I had a dentist appointment so that my teeth would shine and my breath would be fresh. Thanks, Mom!
Some tips on buying apples: Make sure you buy organic apples. They are on the USDA “Dirty Dozen” list for highest amounts of pesticide residue. The best way to get all the benefits from apples is to eat the whole thing raw, skin and all.
If you think about the foods being harvested at the end of summer, apples are high on the list. Nature is telling us that this is a perfect food for balancing our internal chemistry and restoring health and balance to the body. So, eat your apples. While an apple a day is good, I suggest eating 2-3 whole apples for optimal benefit. Try out different kinds and find the one you like best. My personal favorite is Fuji or Honey Bear. By eating foods in season, you stay in sync with the world around you, and you can be healthy and radiant year round.
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