When rodents prone to obesity were given a higher fat diet, similar to a typical American’s diet, and fed a freeze dried powder made from whole apples, the result was a heart-health benefit that went beyond cholesterol reduction alone. The researchers suspect that it may be the phytochemicals in the whole apple that help reduce oxidative stress in the rodents and contribute to improved measures of blood pressure (and ultimately overall heart health). (American Dietetic Association 2010 Poster (unpublished))*
Reduced mortality: A study has identified a possible link between a common component of apples and heart health in postmenopausal women. The study results indicate that increased consumption of apples may contribute to a decrease in mortality from both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007, 85 (3): 895-909)
Fiber and cardiovascular disease: A French study found that diets with the highest total dietary fiber and nonsoluble dietary fiber intakes were associated with a significantly lower risk of several heart disease risk factors, including overweight, elevated waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005, 82: 1185-1194). U.S. researchers report that for every 10 grams of fiber consumed per day the risk of developing heart disease may decrease 14 percent, and the risk of dying from heart disease may decrease 27 percent. Fiber from fruits appeared to be slightly more protective than cereal fiber, lowering the risk of coronary disease death by 30 percent. (Arch Int Med, 2004, 164: 370-376)
LDL Oxidation: Researchers at the University of California-Davis report that daily consumption of apples and apple juice may help reduce the damage caused by the “bad” type of cholesterol and protect against heart disease, based on the first human study of its kind. (Journal of Medicinal Food, 2000, 3: 159-165). An earlier study from UC-Davis Davis reported similar findings in vitro. They also confirmed that important phytonutrients from apples are also found in apple juice. (Life Sciences, 1999, 64: 1913- 1920)*
In addition, in an Ohio State University Study of healthy, middle-aged adults, consumption of one apple a day for four weeks lowered by 40 percent blood levels of oxidized LDL – low-density lipoprotein, the “bad” cholesterol. When LDL cholesterol interacts with free radicals to become oxidized, the cholesterol is more likely to promote inflammation and can cause tissue damage and hardening of the arteries.
(Journal of Functional Foods, 2013). Recent studies performed by the Arthritis Foundation, found evidence to support claims that eating apples on a daily basis may lower levels of cholesterol as well as C-reactive protein (CRP), a key marker of inflammation in the blood. In fact, in the study of 160 women ages 45 to 65, participants who ate apples every day for six months saw lower LDL cholesterol levels by 23 percent as well as a 32 percent decrease in CRP. (Arthritis Foundation, 2016)
Reducing Vascular Deaths: A 2013 University of Oxford (UK) study found that eating one apple a day may be just as beneficial as daily statin use when it comes to preventing vascular deaths in individuals over 50. In a recent debate, cardiologists argued that statins do more harm than good, especially for those who do not already have heart disease. Instead, people would benefit from eating an apple a day to prevent heart attacks, strokes and other vascular diseases. (BMC Medicine, 2016 14:4)