An Apple A Day...

It may well be true that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" -- we know it certainly helps. The University of Illinois Extension Service website provides information on some of the nutritional benefits inherent in apples. Just one fresh medium (2 1/2-inch) apple with the peel intact is:

· Low in calories (only 81! At that level, you could enjoy TWO apples a day)

· High in dietary fiber (both soluble and insoluble) - more than most cereals

· Rich in many essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and folate

· Fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free

Even more health benefits are outlined on the Washington Apple Commission's website. This site offers summaries of medical studies that show that a number of components in apples, especially fiber, phytonutrients, and antixoidant flavonoids, have been found to lower blood cholesterol, improve bowel function, and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes, lung disease, asthma, and age-related memory loss.

Americans have a long way to go, however, to meet the "apple-a-day" recommendation. The average U.S. consumer eats just over 19 pounds of fresh apples a year, or about one apple per week, compared to Europeans, who ingest an average of 46 pounds per year. It's time for Americans to take that one-apple-a-day dietary recommendation more seriously. To get the greatest nutritional benefits, enjoy your apple unpeeled--that's where two-thirds of the fiber and many of the antioxidants are located.