Tuesday, September 27, 2011

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

I am not a big fan of  Apples. But I have a friend who is in Norway for a short stay and the only thing she asks me is for APPLES - straight from the tree. I have few apple trees in the garden but I never really go pick them :-). So this week for G  I went on this small picnic into my garden ...

 

Some of them were baked by Ingela into an apple cake and the hot cake tasted YUMM!!! with the vanilla icecream.

 Some of them were pressed into this pure clear sugar free apple juice at a nearby apple factory - given by G
Why are apples good BTW
  • Pectin -- Pectin is a form of soluble fiber than lowers both blood pressure and glucose levels. It can also lower the levels of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol in the body. Pectin, like other forms of fiber, helps maintain the health of the digestive system. Apples are an excellent source of pectin.
  • Boron -- A nutrient found in abundance in apples, boron supports strong bones and a healthy brain.
  • Quercetin -- A flavonoid, this nutrient shows promise for reducing the risk of various cancers, including cancers in the lungs and breast. It may also reduce free radical damage. Free radicals develop when atoms in the body's cells have unpaired electrons, which can lead to damage to different parts of the cell, including DNA. Quercetin may neutralize free radical damage, which has been implicated in a variety of age-related health problems, including Alzheimer's disease.
  • Vitamin C -- Vitamin C boosts immunity, which helps maintain overall health.
  • Phytonutrients -- Apples are rich in a variety of phytonutrients, including vitamins A and E and beta carotene. These compounds fight damage from free radicals and can have a profound affect on health, including reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and asthma.
So let us follow this proverb as first recorded in 1866 - "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread." 

All pictures by me and Text about health benefits of apples from here 

12 comments:

  1. Not my favorite vegetable. I sprinkle some cinnamon and microwave it and scoop it up and eat it warm. I prefer it that way :). Nice post.

    My3

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  2. we too went to an apple picking fest here in atlanta...:)...cool post shanthi..the cake looks yum

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  3. I am a huge apple fan Shanthi...those look delicious. How fantastic to have apple trees in your garden:)

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  4. Apple is one of my fav fruits...simply beautifully captured shots...lovely!

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  5. ohh..How great to have a fruit tree in your garden..just pick and munch:)

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  6. wow apple trees in the backyard thats like a dream for me. lovely post Shanthi.

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  7. Oh wow..you have an apple tree in your garden...how wonderful! I would love to pick fresh apples every day:)

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  8. Those apples were indeed tasty, and if I may say so myself - the cake was too :-) Thanks for a great dinner!

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  9. Absolutely divine watching those fruit of nature in your own garden.lovely:)

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  10. oh wow!! thats lots of reasons.. I do like red apples.. but am not a huge fan of green ones... This is a nice long post.. Wish I'd eat healthy stuff.. sure need to watch my weight now!! :-)

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