If you think that consuming any type of apple to keep the doctor away will work, then do a rethink as a study confirms that not all apples have the same health benefits. The study reveals that Red Delicious, Northern Spy and Ida Red are more beneficial as they have greater antioxidant activity than others.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Guelph, Ontario undertook the study. It was executed by researchers, led by Dr. Rong Tsao and colleagues.They tested the antioxidant activity of eight varieties of apples viz Red Delicious, Mcintosh, Cortland, Northern Spy, Ida Red, Golden Delicious, Mutsu and Empire.
Antioxidant activity was studied because the free radicals, which damage cells and tissues leading to heart disease, prostate, colon, and other cancers, are neutralised by antioxidants.
As a control measure all apples understudy were grown under same farm conditions and then analysed for polyphenol activity in the laboratory. The results pointed that the best benefit is derived from Red Delicious apples while the least effective were Empire apples. Red delicious were twice as effective as Empire.
Another revealing fact that came to light was that the skin contained five times ore polyphenol activity than flesh.
"When taste and texture do not matter, choosing an apple with a high proportion of polyphenols in the flesh and skin can potentially produce more health benefits," said Tsao.
Advertisement
