“The Health Benefits and Risks of Eating Apples: From Blood Purification to Blood Sugar”

The apple is a deciduous fruit tree of the genus Rosaceae (Malus), native to Central Asia and the northern Caucasus. A document on how to grow apples is found in the ‘Forest Economy’, a document written in the early 18th century, indicating that apple cultivation was prevalent in Korea at the time. Apples are representative fruits that are good for the body. Let’s look at the health effects again.

◆ Synergistic effect of unsaturated fatty acid + dietary fiber… blood purification, blood vessel protection

When peeling an apple, a sticky substance may come out. This is a type of unsaturated fatty acid that apples make themselves to protect their skins as they ripen (National Institute of Agricultural Sciences). Unlike many saturated fats such as meat fat, it is a component that cleans the blood and protects blood vessels. Along with dietary fiber, which is a representative component of apples, it helps prevent vascular diseases by discharging bad cholesterol that accumulates in blood vessels out of the body.

◆ After eating grilled meat such as pork belly… sodium excretion, cholesterol reduction

When eating meat such as pork belly, there are cases where you dip it in salt. You can consume too much salt, which is bad for your blood pressure and gastric mucosa, without even realizing it. Eating an apple after a meal has the effect of killing two birds with one stone as potassium releases salty ingredients (sodium) and dietary fiber reduces cholesterol. Pears are good for reducing carcinogens in burnt meat. When eating grilled meat, add onion, garlic, and lettuce to help reduce harmful substances in the body. It is good to eat fruits and vegetables together with meat or after meals.

◆ After all, apples are a source of dietary fiber… Important stroke prevention effect

Apple’s dietary fiber (fiber) contributes to the prevention of arteriosclerosis, which narrows blood vessels, by lowering neutral fat in the body and increasing ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) in blood vessels. There is a research result that those who enjoy eating apples have a 52% lower stroke rate than those who do not (American Stroke Association). Pectin, a water-soluble dietary fiber, helps intestinal activity and has the effect of cleaning the intestines and preventing and relieving constipation. Pectin absorbs toxic ingredients to prevent gas formation in the intestines and helps skin beauty.

◆ Apples also have weaknesses… Frequent overconsumption leads to fat accumulation and elevated blood sugar

Apples also have weaknesses. It contains 10-15% sugar, most of which are easily absorbed by the body as fructose and glucose. If you frequently eat a large amount of apples at once, the excess calories from sugar can be stored as fat. If you have diabetes, it is good to eat about one a day because it can increase blood sugar. Take half in the morning after meals and half in the evening.

◆ ‘Fri’ in the morning, ‘Poison’ in the evening?

Apples eaten in the morning help digestion and absorption of food by stimulating the secretion of gastric juice. However, the fiber of apples eaten late at night stimulates the intestines, so sensitive people may have stomach upset or intestinal discomfort, which can interfere with sleep. The same goes for other fruits that taste sour. An apple eaten after a meal before 8 p.m. may not cause this inconvenience. The expression that evening apples are ‘poison’ is partly right and partly wrong.