Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? You must have heard of this familiar expression. Notes and Queries magazine was the first one to publish the original quote:
Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.
But is there truth to it? The answer is Yes and No.
Yes to Different Fruits
Yes an apple a day can keep the doctor away as it is a nutritious fruit. But it’s not the only nutritious fruit around. Think of an apple as the first fruit you can easily add to your diet and then add more fruits from there. You should aim for 4 to 5 servings of fruits a day (for adults).
A medium apple is a great source of calories and carbs for energy, fiber, vitamins and minerals. In particular, it has vitamin C which helps to lower risk factors for many health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. In this way, adding more fruits to your diet can help support weight loss, and improver your overall health.
Also, if you want to clean your mouth and teeth but don’t have a toothbrush on hand, eating an apple will do the trick. They’re also more effective than coffee to help you stay awake and alert.
No, Not Just Apples
There’s no excuse to eating an apple a day. Also, eating an apple a day wont’ probably harm you. However, eating only apples might have negative side effects. Remember that too much of a good thing can be bad. Also, you would need to eat way more than one apple a day to get the same nutrition from other fruits. So why not eat a variety of fruits instead?
Different fruits have different nutrition profiles. Eating different fruits means that you have a better chance of getting optimal nutrition. This reduces your risk of developing a mineral or vitamin deficiency.
Starting with an apple a day is a good way to start adding fruits to your diet. Don’t add them all at once. Your body will need to adjust to your new diet. Otherwise, you can have negative side effects. For example, a sudden influx of fiber from eating so many fruits at once can cause bloating and may even give you stomach pains.
So an apple a day can really keep the doctor away but only if you eat with other fruits and vegetables, consistently, and in moderation. Also, try to get organic fruits so you can get the most nutrition without the added pesticides. Or have a look around your community and see if there are neighbors who naturally grow their own fruits and veggies.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Александар Цветановић from Pexels.