National Caramel Apple Day

In addition to it being Halloween, tomorrow is also National Caramel Apple Day! Private Home Care invites you to indulge in this tasty treat, while still enjoying the health benefits of fresh fruit! Caramel apples leave the skin on the fruit, which is where a lot of nutrients are. There is a reason why there is the saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. Apples are a perfect snack, and are quite nutritious! One medium-sized apple contains: 95 calories, 4 grams of fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C. 

Apples may be good for weight loss – they are high in fiber and water, which are two things that are filling. Apples are good for your heart! They have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, and one reason may be that apples contain soluble fiber — the kind that can help lower your blood cholesterol levels. They also contain polyphenols, which have antioxidant effects. Many of these are concentrated in the peel. One of these polyphenols is the flavonoid epicatechin, which may also lower blood pressure.

In fact, an analysis of studies found that high intakes of flavonoids were linked to a 20% lower risk of stroke. Flavonoids can help prevent heart disease by lowering blood pressure, reducing “bad” LDL oxidation, and acting as antioxidants. Another study comparing the effects of eating an apple a day to taking statins — a class of drugs known to lower cholesterol — concluded that apples would be almost as effective at reducing death from heart disease as the drugs.

Apples could help lower risk of diabetes (that is, when they are eaten on a regular basis and are not smothered with caramel). In one large study, eating an apple a day was linked to a 28% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to not eating any apples. Even eating just a few apples per week had a similarly protective effect.

It’s possible that the polyphenols in apples help prevent tissue damage to beta cells in your pancreas. Beta cells produce insulin in your body and are often damaged in people with type 2 diabetes.

Apples promote good gut bacteria! Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic. This means it feeds the good bacteria in your gut.

Your small intestine doesn’t absorb fiber during digestion. Instead, it goes to your colon, where it can promote the growth of good bacteria. It also turns into other helpful compounds that circulate back through your body. 

Research suggests that this may be the reason behind some of the protective effects of apples against obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Happy National Caramel Apple Day! Check out this video of how to make your own caramel apples at home!