We all know the famous adage, that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But turns out, that you also need to also eat it the right way for it to work its wonders on your health! Intrigued? So were we when we got to know that there is actually a “perfect way” to eat an apple. If you still don’t trust us, take a look at what Farzanah Nasser, a microbiome, hormones and gut specialist, had to say.
Taking to Instagram, the expert said that there actually is a perfect way to eat an apple. “There was a study that looked at apples and found that the core of the apple was packed with the most microbes! Just like most of our microbes live in our gut, most of the apples’ microbes live in the core — and most people will chuck out the core and miss out. So I’ve decided that the most perfect way to eat an apple is to slice it in rounds, pop the seeds out, lather it with almond butter and enjoy!” she captioned the post.
The 2019 study Nasser referred to found that a typical 240g organic or conventional apple contains around 100 million bacteria, and much of it is located in the fruit’s core, particularly the seeds. Only 10 million bacterial cells live in the flesh. “To the heroes among you who eat the whole apple: besides extra fibre, flavonoids and flavour, you’re also quaffing 10 times as many bacteria per fruit as your core-discarding counterparts,” the authors said in the study.
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But is there any truth to this claim?
“Yes, various gut-friendly bacteria reside in the apple, and most of them in the core. As such, eating the core after removing the seeds provides ten times more healthy bacteria than eating the flesh alone,” Garima Goyal, a registered dietitian, told indianexpress.com.
Dr Jinal Patel, dietitian, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai added that apples are rich in fibre, antioxidants, and hence safeguard the lungs from oxidative damage. “Apples also contain an antioxidant called quercetin, which can boost immunity. Moreover, apple is loaded with fiber and can improve gut health. Additionally, apples can help to bulk up the stool, regulate one’s bowel movements and allow one to stay fuller for a longer time, helping maintain an optimum weight,” said Dr Patel.
Why have gut-friendly foods?
According to Goyal, having a healthy gut microbiota is essential for the overall health of an individual. “A healthy gut helps to digest the food better, maintain the body’s immune system, gives protection from pathogenic diseases, and helps in the synthesis of vitamins such as vitamin B12, thiamine, riboflavin and Vitamin K. Eating foods that provide a balance of healthy bacteria in the gut is important as various factors disrupt this balance, such as antibiotic treatment, diarrhoea,” she shared.
Also Read | Should you avoid sitaphal or custard apple if diabetic? Nutritionist addresses fears and facts
So, what should be kept in mind when having apples?
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One must keep in mind that apple seeds contain a harmful substance called amygladin that gets converted into cyanide on ingestion. “Having cyanide is harmful and poisonous. But having the core of just one apple is not as harmful; eating many can be,” warned Goyal.
According to Goyal, caution should be exercised while having the cores of fruit. “Also, note that having the core will not improve gut health instantly. So, rather than focusing on apple and changing the way you eat it, you can try having other gut-friendly foods such as curd, yoghurt etc. But still if you are wanting to consume whole apple along with the core, bite it from bottom to top,” Goyal said.
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