Apples

Apples are very high in pectin, a soluble fiber which can lower cholesterol levels significantly — adding just one large apple a day to your diet can reduce cholesterol levels by 8 to 11 percent. Eating two a day has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 16 percent. We all know the old saying — “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” well recent research indicates that this is actually true. Eating apples is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. In a Finnish study, researchers found that men and women who ate the most apples as well as other foods rich in flavonoids, like onions and tea, had a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who ate small amounts of these foods. Eating an apple a day is essentially like taking a high quality multivitamin since apples are high in vitamin C, phytochemicals, flavonoids and potassium, as well as many other important nutrients. Eating raw apples also helps keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.