If you’ve read many of my posts you know I am BIG on fresh, real, whole foods in a form as close to how God created them. I read a wonderful article from Life Extension which talks about how apple pectin – the fiber in apples that is right under the skin – has been shown to reduce cholesterol.
The results were pretty impressive. Over 100 women between the ages of 45 and 65 were divided into two groups. One group ate about 2-1/2 ounces of dried apple a day and the other group ate the same amount of dried prunes. The women who ate apples saw a 23% decrease in LDL “bad” cholesterol, and a 3-4% increase in HDL “good” cholesterol. The boost in HDL was especially impressive because it’s difficult to attain even with drugs and exercise.
As far as I am concerned – adjusting your diet and adding exercise should be the first course of action if your doctor is concerned about your cholesterol. Statin drugs are very hard on the liver and as you know you only have one and you can’t live without it – so why chance harming it with drugs?
Apples are among my very favorite fruits and I wholeheartedly agree with the doctor mentioned in the article when he recommends eating a couple of apples daily. I would just say to make sure they are organic so you can safely eat the skin, where much of the benefit is found.
Hippocrates had it right! We should let food be our medicine.
What do you think about that?
3-D Vitality 
Hi Ann
I love apples too. Unfortunately it is rather difficult ot find organic apples that are affordable around here. I had been just peeling them but then you lose a lot of the great benefits that are in the skin. So now I am just scrubbing them throughly and praying that all of the benefits outweigh the adverse effects from the pesticides. I buy organic when they are on sale but most of them are not locally grown so they just don’t taste as crisp or as fresh as going to the local apple orchard and picking them (which has become a fall family tradition).
They are more expensive here as well – but I have made the choice to spend a little extra on certain things that I feel make the most difference. I understand it can become very pricey. We always took our children to the local orchard every fall to pick apples and it’s one of the best family memories for us as well. In fact, my oldest son went to a local orchard last fall with a group from his church and we met him there – it brought back wonderful memories.
We belong to an organic produce CSA and a 100% grass fed beef co-op here which we love. Nothing like this exists for fruit that we know of though, which is unfortunate since we are surrounded by strawberry, blueberry and blackberry farms, peach, and apple orchards. I had been buying organic blueberries each summer grown by a lady at work but she retired last year, sold the property, and moved away. So with the fruit we try to at least buy local as locally grown is a little less contaminated since it does not have to travel as far to get to us and therefore does not have to be preserved with extra chemicals for the journey. I guess another viable option would be to plant out own fruit trees and eat from them. Love your posts.
Thank you for your kind words. I do the same – when organic produce is unavailable we buy local grown – definitely a better choice.
I’m a huge apple person myself, so this will be easy for me to do!
I know it will!
We are big apple eaters and make frequent trips to Amish country for the homegrown fruit. It is one of the larger orchards in the area and their fruit always taste great. Although they are not organic they do not use pesticides in growing. I hate when the season is over because the store bought ones, even at the whole foods store, don’t have much flavor. I bought the last of the homegrowns a week ago.
I also buy grass fed beef at this meat market there. It is half the price of what I would pay in the city for the same thing. The beef just melts in your mouth.
You are so fortunate to have that market and to be able to get such healthy food. I agree about the apples – there’s nothing like an apple you just picked off the tree.
Apples are full of good stuff apparently! I like apples alot. I have a bottle of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (“from the Mother”)…I sometimes put a little bit in a liter of water in the morning before breakfast. It’s kinda like a pick me up. My dad doesn’t go without his Apple Cider Vinegar which is where I picked it up from. What’s your take on it?
It’s a staple in my house, Michael. It’s the only dressing (with flax oil) I use on my salads and it’s so nutritious.
Thanks for another great post.
I like apples, but I probably don’t eat them enough. We have a food dehydrator and perhaps it would be beneficial to buy a bag of apples and dry them to use as snacks for the two of us.
Thanks for inspiring. 🙂
Good idea!
Ann,
This makes me think of Jim Rohn where he talks about daily disciplines. He says start with an apple a day, start doing little things in your life to make it better, then move onto some of the bigger changes. But, it’s those little things, over time, that make a big difference.
Very cool – and very true! I call it taking “baby steps!”
Ann,
Wow. That’s amazing! I like apples, but I must admit that I don’t eat them very often. BUT I’m going to buy some apples and add a few slices to my morning health shake. Thanks for the life-changing information.
Have a Victorious Day!
Marianne Clements
Glad you found it helpful, Marianne.
Love this! I love Apples, and thank goodness I do. Perhaps it’s contributed to my cholesterol improving over the past few years, but still, the more the reason to eat more of them!
It definitely could’ve been a big reason for the improvement.