You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” even if you never fully understood how it originated. Of course, it’s important to incorporate fresh produce into your daily routine for a number of health-related reasons, including as brain nutrition, but what is so special about this particular fruit? As well as being loaded with fiber and vitamin C, apples are also full of antioxidants that can help promote heart health.
In 2007, researchers from the Iowa Women’s Health Study reported that eating apples regularly had a significant impact on the risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged women. Their conclusion was derived from 20 years of medical data on a group of more than 34,000 females in Finland. The scientists involved attributed this connection with the antioxidant capabilities of flavonoids – the nutritious compounds also found in dark chocolate.
Now, a study conducted at Ohio State University last month has revealed yet another detail about the relationship between the classic Red Delicious and a healthy heart. According to the university website, a team of researchers discovered that eating an apple a day cut down on the amount of oxidized low-density lipoproteins, or LDLs. When LDLs, a.k.a cholesterol, become oxidized, they reportedly can cause the arteries to harden, which increases the risk of heart disease.
“Not all antioxidants are created equal when it comes to this particular effect,” explains human nutrition professor and head researcher Robert DiSilvestro. This could explain why the old adage is so specific about which fruit should be consumed so regularly.
However, that doesn’t mean that anyone should skimp on other types for fruit and vegetables, all of which perform different functions for overall brain health.