Crunch time: Health benefits of eating apples

Did you know October is National Apple Month? Apples are one of the world's most popular fruits and are also one of the most versatile as they can be juiced, eaten raw, baked, cooked in sauces and spreads, preserved, canned, dried, and frozen. This is due to all parts of the apple, except for the seeds, being edible, including the skin. The familiar phrase, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", is more true than we realize. Apples are considered a nutrient-dense fruit, containing many nutrients that provide many benefits to our bodies. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are essential to maintaining good human health. Apples also provide us with various antioxidants that may help to reduce the risks of many diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers as well. For example, research has found that eating 100-150 grams per day of whole apples is associated with lower chances of developing heart disease and other risk factors correlated to heart diseases- like high blood pressure. Research also suggests that apple intake may significantly reduce one's Body Mass Index (BMI), which is also a risk factor related to heart disease. Pectin is a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic in your gut microbiome. Dietary fiber cannot be digested, so pectin reaches your colon intact and promotes the growing of good and health bacteria. Apples contain pectin, enabling them to help protect against many chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Flavonoids are a group of plant pigments that give many fruits, flowers, and vegetables their fun colors. In the Framingham Heart Study conducted in 1948, researchers found an association between flavonoid intake and frailty onset. Frailty is the condition of being weak and delicate. They found that consumption of foods rich in flavonoids could prevent frailty in older adults. For every medium sized apple (or 10mg of flavanols per day), the odds of frailty are reduced by 20%. Apples are a fruit rich in these flavonoids, specifically quercetin. Quercetin is also found in red wine, onions, green tea, and berries. These are antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory effects that may help to reduce swelling, kill cancer cells, and control blood sugar as well. Since apples are so nutrient-dense, they are also very filling. This is due to the high amounts of fiber and water that apples contain. Eating whole apples increased fullness more than consuming equal amounts of apple juice. This may happen because whole apples reduce gastric emptying — the rate at which your stomach empties. Luckily, apples are easy to find in the state of Ohio. According to OSU Extension, there are over 50 varieties of apples grown in the state. Each of these possesses their own appearance, flavor, and texture. To learn more about these varieties and locate where you can find specific apples, visit the Ohio Apples website (https://www.ohioapples.com/about). Purchasing and picking your own Ohio apples is a great outdoor, fun family activity to participate in this fall. Participating in the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch this Fall is a great way to enjoy apples this month. This event takes place annually across Ohio and their neighboring Midwest states. It is typically celebrated on the second Thursday of October, but you can crunch at any point this month. To celebrate, simply get a group of people together, buy local apples, and bite into apples together at the same time! The Apple Crunch is a fun way to: eat healthy, support local farmers, highlight local foods, and learn all about apples. Consider taking part in this event and help Ohio reach as many communities as possible. Over 70 attendees joined us to celebrate at the Hancock County Farmers Market on October 3rd and enjoyed tasting our Celebrate your Plate" Baked Apple for One" samples. For the recipe, visit https://celebrateyourplate.org/recipes/baked-apple-for-one. Happy crunching! Madison Jones is a dietetic intern from Bluffton University serving with OSU Extension.