Health Benefits of Apples

A delicious and crunchy apple is one of the most popular fruit favored by health conscious, fitness freaks who believe in “health is wealth.” This wonderful fruit packed with rich phyto-nutrients that in the true sense are indispensable for optimal health. The antioxidants in apples have many health promoting and disease prevention properties; thus justifying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Health Benefits of Apples

Delicious and crunchy apples are one of the popular fruits that contain an impressive list of essential nutrients, which are required for normal growth and development and overall nutritional well-being.


Apples are low in calories; 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide only 50 calories. The fruits however, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol; but rich in dietary fiber, which helps, prevent absorption of dietary LDL cholesterol in the gut. The dietary fibers also help protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to toxic substances, by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.

Apples contain good quantities of vitamin-C and beta-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenols. The total measured anti-oxidant strength (ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. The important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Apples are also good in tartaric acid which gives tart flavor to them. These compounds help the body protect itself from deleterious effects of free radicals.

In addition, apples are a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism, as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.

Apples also contains small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, which helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus counters the bad influences of sodium.