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Eating 2 Of This Common Fruit A Day May Lower Cholesterol

Eating 2 Of This Common Fruit A Day May Lower Cholesterol

Selection of fruits There’s a lot to be said for the power of fruit and veg ― the NHS points out that getting your five a day could contribute to a decreased risk of stroke, bowel cancer, and heart disease. That’s partly because fresh produce is typically high in fibre, which has been linked to multiple health benefits (though only 10% of us eat enough – 30g – of the stuff a day). And according to a 2019 paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, two apples a day – which contain over 7g of fibre if eaten with the skin on – could help to lower cholesterol among people with mildly high levels. This was not seen among people who consumed apple juice in the study. What did the study find? Researchers gave participants, who had moderately high cholesterol, either high-polyphenol (specifically, proanthocyanidin-rich) whole Renetta Canada apples or a squash made from them. This drink had roughly the same amount of sugar and calories as the fruit, but it had less fibre (8.5g vs <0.5g) and fewer polyphenols (990mg vs 2.5mg). After the trial ended, those in the whole apples group saw 4% lower LDL cholesterol, often labelled “bad” cholesterol. And their markers for blood vessel health had improved, too. Writing in the Science Media Centre , Professor Tim Chico, a Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine who was not involved in the study, said: “The effect on cholesterol was very small compared with drug therapy with statins, and so it is not clear whether this effect would lead to a decrease in heart disease or stroke”. Still, he added, “A high fibre whole food diet is already known to reduce the risk of a number of diseases, including cancer and heart disease”. Why might apples, rather than apple juice, improve heart health? Dr Thanasis Koutsos, who created the study, said: “We don’t yet know whether the fibre that is found in the apple or the polyphenol which is in significantly greater concentration in the apples we used is responsible for the results. “Either way, the clear winner here is the whole food.” This follows other studies that show juice is worse for us than eating the whole fruit. 2013 research suggested that daily fruit juice consumption might be associated with a 21% increased likelihood of developing diabetes, while consuming at least two servings of whole fruit a week saw a 23% risk decrease. Still, Professor Chico said , “Can people who need to take statins swap them for apples? No, not on the evidence of this study. “Should all people (whether on statins or not) eat more vegetables and fruit if they want to reduce their risk of heart disease? Emphatically yes, alongside taking more regular physical activity, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight.” Related... Wait, Does Cranberry Juice Do Anything At All To Prevent UTIs? Is Orange Juice 'Bad' For You Or Not? Nutrition Experts Have Strong Thoughts 6 Signs Of A Hole In Your Heart Adults Might Dismiss