Published in the Journal of Functional Foods, the research
found that healthy, middle-aged adults who ate one apple every day for
four weeks succeeded in lowering levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol by 40
percent -- a substance which has been linked to the hardening of the
arteries.
To carry out their study, researchers from Ohio State University
recruited 16 healthy adults between the ages of 40 and 60 who weren’t
regular apple eaters – less than twice a month. Participants were
instructed to eat either a Red or a Golden Delicious apple every day for
four weeks.
Another 17 participants took oral capsules containing 194 mg of
polyphenols for four weeks, and a third group of 18 people took a
placebo.
While the polyphenol capsules also yielded measurable results, they
weren’t as strong as consuming whole apples, researchers said.
“That could either be because there are other things in the apple
that could contribute to the effect, or, in some cases, these bioactive
compounds seem to get absorbed better when they're consumed in foods,”
hypothesized lead researcher Robert DiSilvestro.
When oxidized LDL or low-density lipoprotein --also known as ‘bad
cholesterol’ -- oxidizes after meeting free radicals, the cholesterol is
more likely to promote inflammation and cause tissue damage,
researchers explain.
DiSilvestro also claims that eating whole apples daily was found to
be more effective in this particular capacity -- lowering bad
cholesterol levels -- than other antioxidant-rich foods he’s studied
separately, including turmeric, green tea and tomato extract.
The latest study builds on previous research vaunting the health
benefits of apples. A Florida State University study likewise proved
that eating an apple daily lowered ‘bad cholesterol’ levels by 23
percent while also increasing good cholesterol levels by 4 percent.
Female participants also lost an average of 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) during the
year-long experiment.
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