You can't go wrong with an apple for a quick and nutritious snack. It's a filling snack you can grab on your way out the door for errands or pack in your work lunch bag. Apples, fortunately, are accessible all year in the United States and are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants—all of the ingredients your body requires to fight viruses and other diseases and ailments.
Is it true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although the verdict is still out on that one, a 2015 study found that a small percentage of adults who practice this healthy habit appear to use fewer prescription medications.
Whether you eat apple whole, slice them up with almond butter, or sprinkle them into salads, you should be aware of the following immune system adverse effects.
1. Quercetin aids in the reduction of inflammation.
Apples are high in phytochemicals, including quercetin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that aid in immune response regulation.
Here's how it works in general. Free radicals not only harm your cells, but they also activate genes that cause an inflammatory response to increase. Chronic inflammation has been related to several significant diseases and health issues. However, studies have shown that quercetin can help lower inflammation markers.
This flavonoid appears to be abundant in red apples in particular. Also, because quercetin is only contained in the skin of apples, don't peel them, or you'll miss out on this health advantage.
2. Flavonoid's aid in immune system regulation.
Apples contain more antioxidants than only quercetin. Other flavonoids found in them include catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin, phlorizin, coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid, which have anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. Apples possessed the second-highest level of antioxidant activity and the most significant amount of free phenolics compared to other common fruits.
These phytochemicals have been shown in studies to modulate both inflammatory and immunological responses and protect the organism from oxidative stress.
Remember that the flavonoids in apples are primarily concentrated in the skin, and more profound red-colored kinds have more.
3. Pectin is suitable for your intestinal health.
Did you know that the GI tract houses a significant amount of your immune system? That means that maintaining a healthy and balanced microbiome is crucial to ensuring that your body is ready to combat illnesses. Apples include a form of soluble fiber called pectin, which can assist in improving intestinal health. Women who ate two apples every day for two weeks increased the healthy bacteria in their stomachs, according to a 2010 study.
A single apple contains approximately 100 million bacterium cells, according to a 2019 study published in Frontiers of Microbiology. Note that organic apples appear to have the edge over conventionally cultivated apples in terms of bacterium diversity, according to the study.
4. Vitamin C promotes the immune system's ability to fight infections.
Vitamin C is well-known for being one of your body's most effective defenses against colds and other infections. What you may not realize is that it helps enhance your immune system in various ways.
According to studies, simply increasing your vitamin C intake can boost the number of antioxidants in your blood by 30 percent, which can assist your body's defenses to keep inflammation at bay.
Vitamin C also strengthens the epithelial barrier against pathogens and protects your cells from external oxidative stress, according to a 2017 review published in the journal Nutrients.
One large apple has about 10.3 mg of vitamin C, which may not seem like much, but it accounts for 11.4 percent of your recommended daily allowance. Furthermore, research has shown that the antioxidant activity in one serving (100 grams) of apples is similar to 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C.
Fact: A raw apple with the skin on contains up to 115 percent more vitamin C than a peeled one.
5. Soluble fiber transforms immune cells into anti-inflammatory cells.
The fiber content of apples is one of their best qualities. One medium apple has 4.4 grams of fiber, which contributes to your RDA of 25 grams. So, how does all of this relate to your immune system? According to a 2010 University of Illinois study, the soluble fiber in apples transforms immune cells' "personality" from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory. After scientists produced illness in all mice that administered soluble fiber got half as sick as the other group and recovered 50 percent faster. According to the study's authors, the rationale for this impact is that soluble fiber causes an increase in the synthesis of an anti-inflammatory protein called interleukin-4.