Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? A nutritionist explains the science behind 'functional' foods

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We’ve all heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but how true is that?

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목요일, 8월 10, 2023

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We’ve all heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but how true is that?
Apples are not high in vitamin A, nor are they beneficial for vision like carrots.
However, apples contain various bioactive substances – natural chemicals that occur in small amounts in foods and that have biological effects in the body.

Functional foods are not the same as superfoods.
The problem is that most of those claims are not based on scientific research, like the criteria for functional foods are.
In addition to the nutrients that our bodies need for growth and development, functional foods contain a variety of bioactive substances, each with a unique function in the body.
Research suggests that the carotenoids from foods and the other categories of bioactive substances may help prevent certain cancers and improve heart health.

From the early 1900s to the 1970s, nutrition research focused on vitamin deficiencies.
In 1980, the U.S. government published the first dietary guidelines that encouraged people to avoid fat, sugar and salt.
Public health messaging encouraged people to replace fatty foods with starchy foods such as breads and pasta.

To correct this problem, Japan became the first country to introduce the concept of functional foods in the 1980s.
Today, Japan uses the phrase “Food for Specialized Health Uses” for products that can be scientifically shown to promote health.
Japan has more than 1,000 foods and beverages approved as food for specialized health uses, such as hypoallergenic rice.

An apple’s natural dietary fibers are one of the bioactive components that lead to its being classified as a functional food.
Pectin functions to reduce the amount of sugar and fat that is absorbed into the body.
In addition, apples contain high amounts of natural chemicals known as polyphenols that have vital roles in promoting health and reducing chronic disease.
Because they are mainly in the peel, whole apples are better sources of polyphenols than juice or applesauce.

One U.S. team analyzed the apple-eating patterns and number of doctor visits among more than 8,000 adults.
Once adjusted for demographic and health-related factors, the researchers found that the daily apple eaters used marginally fewer prescription medications than the non-apple eaters.
A group of European researchers found that eating two apples a day improved heart health in 40 adults.
And Brazilian investigators found that eating three apples daily improved weight loss and blood glucose levels in 40 overweight women.