Eat two apples a day helps keep the low cholesterol and combat the risk of heart disease, according to a study by a team of scientists led by the University of Reading in collaboration with the Fondazione Edmund Mach Institute (FEM), Italy, which confirms the benefits of this fruit.
The study, which was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that eating apples that were rich in fiber and compounds called polyphenols it lowered the amount of total and LDL cholesterol and improved markers associated with blood vessel health in participants who had slightly increased blood cholesterol levels.
“This latest study shows that the impact of an easy-to-implement dietary change could have a major impact on key measures of heart disease risk. A particular interest in this study is how the two whole applesrather than a calorie-sweetened apple juice drink, had a significant effect on participants’ markers of heart health,” said Professor Julie Lovegrove, Director of the University’s Hugh Sinclair Human Nutrition Unit. from Reading.
“It seems that the old adage of an apple day was almost right“, he pointed out. However, the researchers say that adequately powered randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these data and explore the mechanisms. And, therefore, in no case is it recommended to stop the medication that is being taken when incorporating these fruits.
Other human intervention studies also suggest possible lipid-lowering effects of apples, but results lack consistency, perhaps due to differences in apple products tested, which have included whole fresh (WA) apples, dried apples, apple peel, apple pomace, cloudy, and apple juice clear and pure apple polyphenols; dose and molecular characteristics of the active components; study duration; sample size; and the use of appropriate controls.
Studio with 40 people
In this study, an 8-week dietary intervention was performed, and the hypothesis was examined that supplementation of the usual diet of 40 mildly hypercholesterolemic healthy subjects with 2 fresh apples (Renetta Canada) daily would result in a reduction in total cholesterol and beneficial effects. on vascular function and other markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD), compared with a control sugar apple drink.
Renetta Canada is a variety of apple rich in catechin and proanthocyanidins (AP) and dihydrochalcones, and it was previously shown to have beneficial effects on the composition and activity of the intestinal microbiota ‘in vitro’.
“One of the clear findings of this study is that small, simple changes to our diet, such as the introduction of two apples a day, can have a major impact. on markers of heart health. We don’t yet know if the fiber found in the apple or the polyphenol that is in a significantly higher concentration in the apples we use is responsible for the results. Either way, the clear winner here is all the food,” said Dr Thanasis Koutsos, who conducted the study.