Does an apple (peel) a day keep the cancer away?

Research, I love doing research. Especially if it gives me advice on how I can help keep myself healthy and work toward preventing cancer from returning.




Those who know me will readily agree that before my battle with cancer I was not among the most healthy of eaters. I did (and do) love chocolate. I could put away a bag of Hershey's kisses or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in one sitting. A balanced diet was a Honey Bun in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, or better yet an RC Cola. That all changed once I was diagnosed with breast cancer and began the radiation treatments. Now, my diet is much more healthy, consisting of a variety of fruits and vegetables, less red meat and almost no soda. To keep my diet varied I do a lot of research to find the 'good things' to eat and recipes to make them interesting.



Today's topic of choice is..the apple, and the benefits it brings to our health.



The first thing that must be noted is that the research on the benefits of all "good for you" foods is ongoing and that it has not been proven that consuming these foods will actually prevent or treat cancer but the results are proving promising.



What is it about apples that make them a good choice in staying healthy? Cornell researchers in 2007 identified a dozen compounds in the apple peel that either inhibit or kill cancer cells A review done of the peels of the Red Delicious apples showed 29 compounds with antioxidant and cancer fighting properties."..... several compounds have potent anti-proliferative activities against human liver, colon and breast cancer cells and may be partially responsible for the anti-cancer activities of whole apples," says Rui hai Liu, Cornell associate professor of food science.* "Some compounds were more potent and acted differently against the various cancer cell lines, but they all show very potent anti-cancer activities and should be studied further," said Liu.



Phytochemicals, known as phenolics or flavonoids, are found in apples and other fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals and phytonutrients (compounds found in plants) found within the apple act as antioxidents against LDL, the damaging portion of cholesterol. Rich in pectins, soluble fibers, has been demonstrated in being effective in lowering cholesterol levels.







Eating fruits and vegetables have been found to reduce the risk of coronary disease. Reduce the risk of a variety of cancers. Those who consume apples have been found to have a much better lung function. Eating apples may reduce the incidence of several cancers-breast, colorectal, esophageal, oral, ovarian, and prostate.



Apples are relatively gentle on blood sugar levels.



Apple extracts have been shown to promote the growth of several probiotics in the colon while also inhibiting the growth of two pathogenic bacteria.



This is only a partial list of the benefits of apples and apple juice. It has been proven that eating a healthy diet consisting of a variety of fruits and vegetables will help one to remain healthier. Their beneficial properties going a long way to prevent cancer and as stated a host of other diseases. All packed in one easy to carry with you package. Apples have been identified as the greatest source of antioxidants and cellular antioxidant activity in the American diet. With so many different types of apples available, there should be one for every taste and preference..



So that old saying may just be true.. and apple ( with peel) a day keeps the doctor away.



One thing I might mention. Unless you are eating organic, or fruit where you know how it was grown wash the fruit thoroughly before eating to remove any pesticides that may have been used.



All of the above is just bits and pieces of what I found online. You can read the full reports here..





sources:

ScienceDaily: An Apple Peel a Day Might Keep Cancer At Bay

sciencedaily.comreleases/2007/06/070601181005.htm



Mailonline:

dailymail.co.uk/health/article-36536/Apples-fight-heart-disease-cancer-strokes.html?pri..



Mailonline" Apple peel-the secret weapon against cancer

dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1284820/apple-peel-secret-weapon-cancer.html?



From the Core:

hsionline.com/2011/10/06/apples-fight-pancreatic-cancer



Times of India:

articles.timesofindia.com/2010-04-16/health/28145368_1_colorectal-cancer-colon-



EmasHealth:

emaxhealth.com/1020/14/34617/apple-a-day-could-keep-cancer-away.html



naturalnews:

naturalnews.com/z025685_cancer_apple_breast.html



WebMD:

webmd.com/cancer/news/20041018/apple-day-for-cancer-prevention?



Healthyfellow:

healthyfellow.com/ Apples and Cancer protection



Chronicalonline:

news.cornel.edu/stories/Feb09/apples.breastcancer.sl.html