Choosing apples?

[Guest guest]

--- In , " Rodney " <perspect1111@y...>

wrote:

>

> On a table I put together some years ago apples, for example, came

> out below 'bacon double cheeseburger' and not far above 'salt pork'

> based on the * asterisked criterion above, using six important

> nutrients, three vitamins and three 'minerals'.

Yes, I thougt the same years ago, and in fact I didn't eat an apple

for seven years or so, but then I found this paper, and really made

me think... Here is for you, friends...

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-3-5.pdf

Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits.

Boyer J, Liu RH.

Department of Food Science and Institute of Comparative and

Environmental Toxicology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-

7201 USA. RL23@...

Evidence suggests that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may

decrease the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease

and cancer, and phytochemicals including phenolics, flavonoids and

carotenoids from fruits and vegetables may play a key role in

reducing chronic disease risk. Apples are a widely consumed, rich

source of phytochemicals, and epidemiological studies have linked the

consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers,

cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. In the laboratory,

apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity,

inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and

lower cholesterol. Apples contain a variety of phytochemicals,

including quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid, all

of which are strong antioxidants. The phytochemical composition of

apples varies greatly between different varieties of apples, and

there are also small changes in phytochemicals during the maturation

and ripening of the fruit. Storage has little to no effect on apple

phytochemicals, but processing can greatly affect apple

phytochemicals. While extensive research exists, a literature review

of the health benefits of apples and their phytochemicals has not

been compiled to summarize this work. The purpose of this paper is to

review the most recent literature regarding the health benefits of

apples and their phytochemicals, phytochemical bioavailability and

antioxidant behavior, and the effects of variety, ripening, storage

and processing on apple phytochemicals.

PMID: 15140261 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Cheers

Willie