Diet For Modern Lifestyles

Can, “An Apple A Day” bring the Doctor Nearer???

I love going to the market............. It kind of de-stresses and relaxes me. When I now pass the vegetable and fruit markets, I am amazed at the new varieties of fruits and vegetables that are available on the stalls. I don't remember having seen some, or having seen so many different varieties of some of them, at all when I was small.

One such fruit happens to be an APPLE. You can find sooooooo many varieties of apples now-a-days in the market. Till some years back, Apples were seasonal fruits and were readily available only in a specific season........Not now, they are available almost round the year.
They also come in such pleasing, mouth watering colors and such appealing luster and shine that you cannot resist buying them.

An old rhyme says:
“To eat an apple going to bed.....Will make the doctor beg his bread. “
A more popular one goes:
“ An Apple a Day keeps the doctor away”.

I am an ardent follower of these 2 sayings and make sure that my family eats enough apples to keep the doctor away. Being a dietitian gives me an additional advantage in understanding why these rhymes could have been true.

Apples are absolutely excellent in their nutritive value and so, very appropriately called ”king” of fruits in The Western world. Apples are rich in Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin C and B1, Beta carotene and Iron. It is rich in Pectin ( fiber) and contains malic acid too. Each of the above nutrients are valuable contributors to making apples very very healthy.

Apples are Detoxifying, Astringent and Tonic to the body. They relieve constipation, reactivate the digestive bacteria, increase disease fighting capacity and appetite. They reduce the total cholesterol and are useful to people with heart disease.
Apples have diuretic (promotes urine formation) effect so are beneficial to people with high blood pressure. They also stabilize the blood sugar levels owing to their fiber content and make a good food option to the diabetics.

Even though an apple is really a wholesome, protective fruit, there is still something that is bothering me. And I need to share this with you.

I have mentioned the eye-catching luster and shine of the apples which make them irresistible....... Where do you think it comes from???

It comes from the WAX that has been rubbed into them to make them more attractive.
There are 2 things that I do with apples after I buy them. I make sure I wash them with hot water at least twice (you can actually see the floating wax in hot water). Or else make sure that I peel them completely before eating.

A dietitian will always tell you to eat fruits and vegetables along with their skin whenever possible. Particularly so for apples, as the skin of apples has good amounts of fiber and it contains a lot of Vit. C, almost 5 times more than the flesh. But looking at the content of wax on the surface, you will have to make a choice whether to keep the skin or peel it.

I am sure you will make a good choice for yourselves and the rhyme will continue to be true for generations to come!!!