The apple, soft and light, is a great preventive fruit. Not only does it act as a digestive balm, but it also cleanses and helps regulate cholesterol levels.
The apple provides mainly carbohydrates in the form of sugar (12.5%), mainly fructose and, to a lesser extent, glucose and sucrose. It contains very little protein and fat. Among the vitamins, C stands out: one apple can cover 30% of your daily needs. It also contains some vitamin E (0.32 mg/100 g), potassium (140 mg) and phosphorus (10 mg), although all in small proportions.
Given such an inconspicuous nutrient composition, it is difficult to imagine the extraordinary properties that make the apple a real medicinal food, but this fruit contains secondary plant substances that do not provide energy, but are very beneficial:
pectin. A carbohydrate that is not absorbed in the intestines and forms the majority of what is known as soluble fiber. It stores water and forms gels that act as an emulsion, absorbing waste products in the intestines and facilitating the excretion of toxins in the feces.
Organic acids. They make up between 1% and 1.5% of the apple weight. Like citrus fruits, these acids produce an alkalizing (antacid) effect in the blood and tissue when metabolized. In addition, they renew the intestinal flora, prevent fermentation and act as a natural toothpaste.
Tannins. After the quince, the apple is one of the fruits with the highest content of tannins, which have astringent and anti-inflammatory effects.
Flavonoids. Found in many fruits and vegetables, they prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (substances that transport cholesterol in the blood). This prevents cholesterol from being deposited on the walls.
boron. This mineral is involved in numerous functions of the body. One of them is to facilitate the absorption of calcium and magnesium, which helps prevent osteoporosis. The apple is one of the fruits richest in boron.
The many properties of this simple but wonderful fruit are due to all these substances: antidiarrheal, laxative, diuretic, cleansing, lipid-lowering, choleretic, tonic for the nervous system, alkalizing, antioxidant. Therefore, daily consumption is suitable for both healthy and sick people.
Preventative power of apple
Eating two or three apples a day for several months is very effective in regulating cholesterol levels. On the one hand, pectin absorbs bile salts in the intestines, one of the raw materials from which the body produces cholesterol. On the other hand, flavonoids inhibit platelet aggregation, thereby reducing the risk of a heart attack. The apple also reduces the tendency to form gallstones.
For diabetics, the apple is ideal for two reasons: much of its sugar is in the form of fructose, which does not require insulin to enter the cells, and secondly, pectin helps regulate the release of sugar, allowing its passage into the Blood to be slow and progressive.
Star in the kitchen
The apple is part of numerous gastronomic traditions. In Europe we find it in Waldorf salad, French tatins, apple strudel from Austria and Germany, puff pastries, gravies and English crumbles, apple fritters, baked apples or those stuffed with meat from the Catalan recipe book. . In America, baked goods, purees and fillings often have apples as the protagonist. In Asia, it is used in fried foods, chutneys, salads, fruit salads, and pilaf rice, which uses brown rice that is previously soaked and pan-fried to make it soft and fluffy.
Rosa Guerrero (health) and Montse TÃ pia (cooking)