Do You Know the Health Benefits of Eating Apples? Let’s Find Out

Senior Care near Glenview, IL: Enjoy Eating Apples this Autumn!

Each month it seems like there are more and more fads about improving your health and wellbeing. Fruits and vegetables with strange sounding names, and everything else under the sun, promise to get you feeling better with little to no work. You and your elderly parent have probably even tried some of these, with little results. Often, endorsers of these “miracle” products are simply looking for a way into the marketplace, and for a quick buck. The reality is that simple, natural foods can provide all the benefits you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

An Apple A Day

Take apples for example. In 2004, scientist from the USDA studied over 100 foods in order to measure their concentration of antioxidants per serving. Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds that scientists believe help prevent and repair oxidation damage in human cells. Two kinds of apples, Red Delicious and Granny Smith, ranked 12th and 13th on that list. Aside from being powerful disease-fighting fruits, apples can also provide a host of other benefits like:

  • Whiter, Healthier Teeth – Eating an apple increases the amount of saliva produced, flushing out bacteria.
  • Apple Juice – Studies showed that drinking more apple juice could help prevent Alzheimer’s and fight against aging in the brain.
  • Beating Diabetes – Apples contain soluble fiber, which is key for reducing blood sugar swings. Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
  • Apples Equal a Healthy Heart – The soluble fiber found in many apples can slow the buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in human arteries. Also, a compound found on the skin of apples helps prevent a certain type of cholesterol that solidifies on artery walls.
  • Healthy Liver – Fruits like apples help your liver clear toxins from the body.
  • Strengthen Your Immune System – Some apples contain an antioxidant called quercetin, which can help boost your immune system during times of stress.
  • Weight Control – Foods like apples are packed with fiber, which help fill you up without having unnecessary calories or fat.
  • Catch-all to Prevent Cancer – Apples are one of the many fruits that doctors recommend because of compounds in apples that can help prevent against cancer cells forming in the liver, colon, and breast.

Apples are not only a healthy substitute for junk food and sugary snacks, but they offer real health benefits from their many antioxidants. It goes without saying that the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” could have some truth to it. Both you and your senior loved one should be eating more apples. If you need help keeping your parents on a healthy diet including apples and other wholesome foods, you should think about hiring senior care services.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care near Glenview IL, -contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786.

Our senior care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Jamie Shapiro