When it comes to calories, apples are a pretty low-calorie fruit
Apples are among the most widely consumed fruits, known for their sweet and tart flavour. Not only do they make for a delicious snack, but they also offer numerous health benefits that you can reap. However, many people are curious about the calorie content of apples and their impact on their health. Other than eating them as a snack, apples can be used in recipes like pies, cookies, muffins, jam, salads, oatmeal, or smoothies, but their calorie content only increases.
How many calories does an apple have?
When it comes to calories, apples are a pretty low-calorie fruit. According to nutritionists, the exact number of calories in an apple depends on its size and variety. However, an average, medium-sized apple – around 3 inches in diameter – contains approximately 95 calories.
This count normally comes from carbohydrates in the form of natural sugars, but the caloric content may also vary slightly based on factors like the fruit’s specific variety or ripeness.
Why should you eat apples?
Apples are super nutritious – loaded with fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants like polyphenols. And so, there are many benefits you can reap from eating this fruit. A few of these include:
Support weight loss
Being a high-fibre fruit, apples are super filling. According to studies, eating whole apples increases fullness more than consuming equal amounts of apple juice. This may happen because whole apples reduce gastric emptying, the rate at which your stomach empties.
Regularly eating apples also helps lower Body Mass Index, or BMI. A high BMI is a weight-related risk factor for heart disease.
Is good for your heart
Apples are linked to a lower chance of heart diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart attacks. Studies say eating 100 to 150 g/d of whole apples is associated with bringing down hypertension due to the presence of soluble fibre.
Promotes gut health
Apples are loaded with pectin – a type of fibre that acts as a prebiotic in your gut microbiome – and a healthy gut is often the key to overall good health. Since dietary fibre cannot be digested, pectin reaches your colon intact, promoting the growth of good bacteria and improving the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes, the two main types of bacteria in your gut.
Protects your brain
Quercetin in apples helps protect your brain from damage caused by oxidative stress. Studies say quercetin has some preventive properties against cognitive conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Lowers the chances of diabetes
Regularly eating apples reduces your chances of type 2 diabetes due to the presence of a high amount of polyphenol quercetin in the fruit. However, if you have diabetes, it is advised by the doctors to make sure your blood sugar levels do not get too high.
How many apples in a day are beneficial?
While there is no specific number of apples that are best to eat daily, according to the American Guidelines for Nutrition, eating around five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, split evenly between fruit and vegetables.
Studies say those who eat 1 to 2 apples daily have health benefits like reduced cholesterol and CVD risk markers.
