Food of the Week . . . ▲

Did you know that, compared to other fruits and vegetables, apples have been found to be most consistently associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma and type 2 diabetes? Apples, which contain significant amounts of phenols and other flavonoids, which act as powerful antioxidants and help protect against cell-damaging free radicals, were also associated with improved lung function and weight loss. These findings are from a recent review of 85 different studies. The total antioxidant activity of 100 grams of whole apple (with peel) was found to be equivalent to the antioxidant effect of about 1,500 mg of vitamin C! Most of apples' antioxidant protection, however, does not come from vitamin C (100 g of apples contains only about 5.7 mg of vitamin C), but from their rich supply of phytonutrients.