Yummy, Nutritious Apples

I'm not much into fruits before. I cannot even finish a piece of banana or apple. I don't even have a favorite fruit. But my outlook on fruits changed when I got sick or (was it I made my self sick?) last month. I realized that my diet is going to make me sick.

Knowing that my diet tends to lean towards red meats, grains and oily food, I've made the decision to make a healthy change. I now have a viand of vegetables in each meal and I have fruits for snacks. It's usually bananas, apples, melons and papayas.

If before I cannot finish a piece of fruit...now, a single piece is not even enough. My favorite fruits would have to be apples and bananas and I usually have these fruits every single day.

Apples are available all year round and are very nutritious.

So what are the health benefits of eating apples:

1. Apples are rich in boron, a mineral that promotes bone growth.

2. It contains a lot of fiber and phytochemicals (substances found in plants and fruits that is rich in antioxidants) that lowers cholesterol, improves digestion, promotes weight loss and reduces the risk of Type II diabetes and asthma.

3. It has quercetin, a flavonoid known to prevent the growth of prostrate cancer cells.

4. Procyanidin compound in apples plays a role in preventing age-related skin problems such as wrinkles.

5. The phytonutrients in apples like catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid act as antioxidants that's good for the heart. Antioxidants protect the heart and the cardiovascular system from oxygen related damage.

Apples are rich in vitamin C and a good source of vitamin B complex. It also has small amounts of minerals like potassium and calcium.

Knowing how healthy eating an apple is makes me all the more encourage to eat apples everyday either as a dessert or an alternative in between meal snack.