Apples and Cholesterol
More good news about apples and cholesterol!
Apples and cholesterol go together like…well, we were were going to say “bread and butter”, but that would sound funny. Great news from Foods That Lower Cholesterol! According to a brand-new study, the consumption of 75 grams of dried apples every day for six months led to a reduction of twenty three percent (that’s almost one quarter) of LDL (the “bad”) cholesterol. This sort of reduction may result in a long-term protection against cardiovascular disease. That’s not all: Researchers also found that regular apple consumption resulted in a somewhat more modest – but still significant – increase in HDL (the “good”) cholesterol. According to previous studies, the pectin found in apples, along with polyphenols, improves certain aspects of lipid (fat) metabolism, which is the bodily process of creating – and breaking down – lipids, a chemical group which includes triglycerides.
This study also found that even though this quantity of apples – which contain primarily fiber and carbohydrates, and 240 calories – resulted in no weight gain. Fascinatingly, study participants lost an average of 3.3 lbs. over the course of six months. Now there’s food for thought. What’s the cause of this “bonus” weight loss? The likeliest culprit is, again, the pectin found in the apples. Pectin can cause satiety (a feeling of fullness), which means that someone is less likely to overeat other unhealthy foods.
The apples also lowered levels of hypoperoxides, which are substances that have a link to cardiovascular problems. They also lowered levels of C-reactive proteins, which are general indicators of inflammatory processes. This information was presented very recently, in April of 2011, at the Experimental Biology meeting in Washington DC.
Score another one for apples!
