All fruits are not only delicious treats, but also good for the body.
The leader among them is an apple.
Thanks to a unique set of vitamins, minerals, biologically active substances, this fruit is used in cooking, cosmetology, and folk medicine.
The health benefits of apples have been known for a very long time.
No wonder this fruit has become the main attribute of many legends, myths, even the multi-billion dollar Apple chose it as its logo of its products. Accessibility, rich taste, beneficial properties of apples - these are the main advantages that allowed it to be one of the most popular fruits in the world.
Composition, calorie content of apples
The beneficial properties of apples are hard to underestimate.. The composition of the fruit includes 86% of water, thirst quenches when it is consumed, in addition, it contains:
• Potassium. This trace element is necessary for the work of the heart muscle, kidneys, has a slight diuretic effect. 100 g of product contains 270 mg of this macrocell.
• Calcium strengthens tooth enamel, bones.
• Iron necessary to prevent anemia, effectively in the fight against anemia. The fruit contains 2.2 mg of this substance, because the benefits of apples for the body are especially great for pregnant women.
• Phosphorus, zinc in sufficient quantities provides immune defense, improves brain activity.
• More than 2 mg iodine normalize the thyroid gland.
• Vitamin C (9 mg) in large quantities is found in acidic fruits. It strengthens blood vessels, reducing their permeability, binds toxic substances, takes part in the synthesis of collagen. Also, everyone knows the antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory effect. Apples improve the body's resistance to infections, strengthen the immune system. One middle fetus contains a quarter of the daily intake of vitamin C.
• Pectin accelerates the elimination of toxic substances, poisons, excess cholesterol from the body.
• Acids normalize the intestines, do not allow fermentation, the development of putrefactive processes. The most useful is malic, citric acid.
• Quartzine prevents the development of Alzheimer's disease, inhibits the death of nerve cells.
• Fiber improves motility, prevents the absorption of harmful substances.
Apples with or without peel?
Disputes on this issue have existed for a long time, one side recommends eating fruit with a peel, the second without. But if you want the maximum health benefits of apples, peeling is not worth it. It contains all the useful substances: vitamins, trace elements, organic acids, pectin. This applies to homemade fruits. When buying in a store, especially in winter or early spring, there is a high probability that the harm of apples will be more than good. Because pesticides accumulate in the peelnitrates. To protect yourself, it is better to take small, not so beautiful fruits than large, with a glossy surface.
Attention! Often there is a situation when, together with the pulp, we eat the bones. Despite the high content of iodine, zinc, the core is a source of hydrocyanic acid. This substance poisons the body, in large quantities. bones are unhealthy. Therefore, more than 3-4 pieces per day should not be consumed.
Calorie apples
If we analyze the composition of all diets and recommendations for fasting days, we can conclude that the apple is found most often. This pattern is not in vain, because the calorie content of apples in all 45 calories. Of course, there are small variations depending on the variety. Reds and yellows are considered the sweetest, while greens are juicy, with acidity, they have less sugar. The beneficial properties of green apples are more often used in medicine.
The energy value of this fruit is low, the minimum amount of protein and fat (0.4 g), carbohydrates is 10 g. This is a product with a low glycemic index, which means that the blood sugar level rises slowly after eating the fruit. Dietary fibers interfere with the absorption of fructose, their amount in one fetus is 10% of the daily norm.
Apples: what are the benefits for the body?
• Cholesterol control. This substance in excess causes blockage of blood vessels, as a result, it leads to ischemia of the heart muscle, the development of heart attacks, strokes. The beneficial properties of apples, directly fiber, prevents the absorption of bad fat in the intestines. At the same time, pectins remove endogenous cholesterol from the body, which is formed in the liver.
• Antioxidant effect. Quarcetin, vitamins prevent oxidative processes in the body. Also, the risk of cancer of the breast, pancreas, intestines decreases with regular use of fruit. These data were obtained from tests in rats in which the percentage of tumors decreased by 45% after the appearance of apples in the diet.
• Pectins activate intestinal motility, prevent constipation.
• The benefits of apples for the body are high in iron, which helps in the treatment of anemiaanemia.
• Gout patient, rheumatoid arthritis is necessary to eat several fruits a day. They contain biologically active substances that wash oxalic acid from the joints, thereby reducing pain and swelling.
• Potassium and calcium are beneficial for heart muscle, normalize blood pressure, vascular tone.
• Moderate choleretic effect prevents gallstonesstagnation. Also, the beneficial properties of apples are to reduce the amount of cholesterol, which is one of the main components of gallstones.
• This fruit is excellent liver assistant. Pectins, fiber bind and remove toxic substances, decay products, thereby performing a detoxification function. The load on the liver is reduced.
Apples - a dietary product
The calorie content of apples allows you to include them in any dishes, even prepare desserts. One average fruit makes up only 5% of the daily intake, even during a diet. You can easily forget about the extra pounds by replacing the intake of sweets with a raw or baked apple. Water predominates in the composition of the fetus, fat is absent, a small amount of carbohydrates gradually increases the level of glucose in the blood.
If there are no contraindications, fasting days on apples are often used. For a day, it is allowed to eat 1-1.5 kg of these fruits in 4-5 receptions. But more often than once a week, such an unloading cannot be repeated. Despite the health benefits of apples, the body needs proteins and fats for normal functioning.
Application in cosmetology
The high content of vitamins and minerals makes the fruit an indispensable product that gives beauty and youth. With regular use, the skin of the face becomes tightened, more elastic. This is an excellent tool to combat wrinkles, age spots. The fruit is rubbed on a fine grater or beat with a blender to a puree-like consistency. The finished mixture is applied to the face, décolleté area, washed off after 15 minutes. Green varieties of apples are suitable for oily skin, sweet varieties for dry skin, you can also add olive oil, a teaspoon of honey.
Apples: is there any harm to health?
Despite the benefits of apples to the body, in some cases it is better to refuse them. This does not apply to all people. The fruit has a lot of fiber, coarse fibers, therefore, with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, apples can be harmful. They cause an exacerbation of peptic ulcer, gastritis, colitis.
There are some nuances regarding the variety of apples. People with high acidity of the stomach should give preference to sweet varieties. With a reduced function, on the contrary, red apples are harmful, it is better to choose green ones.
Buying this fruit in a store, especially in winter, you can buy a chemical "bomb" instead of a healthy apple. The surface of the fetus is treated with paraffin, other compounds to extend its shelf life. In this case, you need to thoroughly rinse the fruit, it is better to trim the skin.
Red varieties may cause an allergic reactionif there is a tendency to allergies, it is worth consuming green fruits.
The benefits of baked apples
Oven-cooked apples are a delicious treat, especially for people on a diet. After heat treatment, the fruit becomes soft, sweet, with a unique aroma. At the same time, its composition remains the same, the amount of vitamins, minerals is slightly reduced, but the benefits of baked apples are huge. They gently affect the intestines, without irritating it, are indicated for gastritis, diseases of the digestive system. A mild stimulant helps fight constipation. Such a product is well absorbed, normalizes the microflora.
Are dried apples healthy?
When drying, water evaporates, because such a product is more high-calorie. Dried apples can harm the figure if consumed in unlimited quantities. After all, their calorie content is 250 kcal. This is 5 times more than fresh fruit.
Dried apples retain benefits for the body for longer, they activate intestinal motility, metabolism, and have an antitumor, general strengthening effect. The product normalizes the composition of blood, lymph, is useful for the heart muscle.
Dried apples should not be abused, they can lead to bloating, gas formation. Patients with diabetes should be limited, since the sugar content is quite high - 60 g (for comparison, in raw fruits only 10 g). Therefore, preference is given to fresh fruits.
