An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This old proverb is thought to originate back in the 1860s as “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” The phrase itself has varied over the years but its popularity remains. Does it have any truth to it?
Let’s take a look.
Nutrients
Apples have hardly any vitamins in them. Even their vitamin C content is low. In fact, most fruit lack any significant quantity of vitamins with a few exceptions. While nutrients will vary depending on soil, age, and type of apple, let’s take a look for comparisons sake.
For 100g of apple you’d get the following:
Vitamin A: 54 IU
Vitamin C: 4.6 mg
For 100g of kale you’d get the following:
Vitamin A: 15,376 IU
Vitamin C: 120 mg
Vitamin K: 817 mcg
Nothing short of a MASSIVE difference between the two. This is just a small sample of the micronutrient differences. Kale also has other nutrients such as B complex vitamins and a significant quantity of minerals like magnesium which apples simply don’t have near the same quantity of.
Another issue with apples is that certain types contain large amounts of sugar.
Like all other fruit, apples do have powerful phytonutrients that offer a wide-range of health benefits. However phytonutrients alone aren’t enough to prevent illness.
So will an apple a day keep the doctor away?
No, by itself, an apple won’t keep the doctor away. I should note though that this article isn’t meant to demonize apples or fruit. Fruit is great for you but is only a single piece of a huge puzzle that is your health.
This article is intended to bring attention to those of us who blindly follow nutritional advice. As the vitamin and mineral content of our food continues to sink due to poor soil quality, it becomes ever more critical to ensure you’re consuming adequate nutrients.
Your health is your own responsibility. It’s always important to do your own research on subjects relating to your health and not just listen to what you’re told. That includes this article too! I encourage you to check into everything here and not just take my word for it.
With that being said I’d like to offer you some real tips on keeping your health in top shape.
- Research what the recommended intake of vitamins and minerals are and compare it to the nutritional content of food you eat on a regular basis. You should aim for not only meeting but exceeding these requirements.
- Juicing is one of the best ways to ensure you’re meeting these requirements. It can be difficult to consume enough veggies in a day but with juicing it’s easy. An example being 1 pound of carrots equals about 8 ounces of juice. As you can see it’s easy to consume many pounds of vegetables this way.
- Raw eggs are a solid choice for complete protein and provide ample amounts of B complex vitamins. I consume four a day to ensure I meet my choline requirements. Choline is critical for brain health and many other functions in the body. If you’re not eating eggs or organ meat on a daily basis then you’re probably deficient in choline.
- A vitamin sourced from whole foods and not synthetic chemicals is also important. While it shouldn’t be relied on solely as a source of nutrition, it’s great for bridging any gaps.
Those are just a few to get you started. It’s a long journey to perfect your health. It has taken me years to fine-tune my diet and narrow down what works best for myself. Just remember – don’t give up. I wish you the best of health!
Sources:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/an-apple-a-day.html
https://www.organic-center.org/scientific-resources/publication-archive/
Jake Toughill is an independent writer whom covers topics on health, nutrition, environmental issues and more. His personal website can be found at www.live-a-better-life.com
