If your parents ever struggled to get you to eat your five-a-day, you may be familiar with the old adage, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor at bay’. But is there any truth to the saying? We speak to registered dietitian Helen Bond about the health benefits of the humble apple.
The saying ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is believed to come from the old Welsh proverb, ‘Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread’ – first cited in Wales in 1866.
Although a recent US study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that eating an apple is not associated with fewer visits to the doctor, research confirms that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, as part of a healthy balanced diet can help in the prevention of chronic disease and maintenance of good health.
According to Public Health England’s Eatwell Guide, fruit and veg should make up just over a third of the food we eat each day and we should aim for at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg each day. It’s best to have a variety, but there’s no specific advice on how the five should be split between fruit and vegetables.
We all like a bit of individual attention – and so do our apples. Storing and cooking your apples just the way they like it and you’ll make the most of them by helping to retain their nutrients and quality.
Source: netdoctor.co.uk
