Appels voor een gezond hart*
Uit een studie, weliswaar met muizen blijkt dat het eten van appels ook goed is voor hart- en bloedvaten. De muizen kregen dagelijks voer aangevuld met niets
of appelpectine ofwel gevriesdroogde appels. In beide groepen met appelaanvulling bleken de muizen duidelijk
lagere cholesterolwaarden te hebben dan de muizen zonder aanvulling. De muizen met de aanvulling van volledige appels hadden ook nog eens een duidelijk
lagere bloeddruk minder oxidatieve stress en een betere hartfunctie.
De hoeveelheid appelaanvulling is te vergelijken met 2 appels per dag voor een mens.
Eating apples helps prevent heart disease
A new study presented at the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Exposition has revealed yet another amazing health benefit gained by eating apples. According to research out of the University of Michigan Health System, eating apples and apple products reduces oxidative stress in the body, boosts heart function and health, and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
For the study, scientists tested the effects of both apple pectin, a fiber-rich compound found in apples, and freeze-dried apples on mice that were prone to obesity. They compared the mice in the apple groups to another group of mice fed a standard diet without apples. All the mice consumed constant amounts of total calories, sugars, and fiber. And at the end of the evaluation period, the mice in the apple groups exhibited considerable improvement in overall health, with less cases of heart illness than the non-apple mice group.
Initial results, discussed and presented at the ADA meeting showed that both the whole apple powder and the apple pectin reduced cholesterol levels. In addition, the whole apple powder also reduced oxidative stress (as measured in the blood samples), reduced blood pressure, and increased heart function.
"When rodents prone to obesity were given a higher fat diet -- similar to a 'typical American' diet -- and fed a freeze dried powder made from whole apples (roughly equivalent to two medium-sized apples per day), the results showed a heart health benefit that went beyond cholesterol reduction alone," explained Dr. Mitch Seymour, lead researcher for the
study.
The powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals in apples help to reduce damage caused by free radicals. As a result, the key markers of heart disease are mitigated. Apples are also beneficial to the digestive system because they supply the intestines with healthy bacteria. And if you want to help avoid developing cancer, apple skins are rich in triterpenoid compounds that prevent cancer cells from
forming. (Januari 2011)
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