I love apples. And I love eating what is in season. The fresher and more local the better. It's better on my taste buds and better for my health...and yours.
It was a marvelous green smoothie this morning. I told myself to wait until I could post the photo along with it but I just can't stop myself from posting it now! Not only did it taste great but it was full of health benefits that I just had to share. Of course it had all kinds of great things in it but today I’m only focusing on the benefits of apples.
I usually have a green smoothie most mornings. And I often vary them a little just to shake things up. That way I don't get bored and stray from eating healthy and fresh foods.
I wasn't in the mood for my 'usual'. So I looked around my cupboards for something new to put in my Vita-mix. This is what I put in there:
1 Honey Crisp Apple
1 Banana (frozen) (peeled prior to freezing)
2 Kale leaves
1 T Agave
2 T coconut oil
3 T goji berries
2 T cocoa nibs
1 T grated ginger
2 T raw almond butter
1 T flax seed oil
water
Cut the core out of the apple and place the rest of the apple in the Vita-mix. Add all remaining ingredients except water. Fill blender to the 40 oz mark and blend on high.
If you use some other brand of blender besides a Vita-mix the smoothie may not be as smooth or easy to drink.
(After recipe please see note at bottom about the dangers apple seeds and the benefits of apples.)
Test taste and adjust amounts to your liking.
Drink
Enjoy
Mmmmmmmm
(If you don't have a frozen banana you can use a fresh one)
Super easy, super nutritious, super fast.
A vita-mix can even blend the apple seeds and some people may tell you that they are healthy for you. But apple seeds contain something called cyanogenic glycosides which is a cyanide containing compound. As you may know cyanide is a poison.
Most of us have probably ingested an apple seed or 2 in our time and our bodies have neutralized it or passed it through our systems without harming us. In small amounts you would probably be okay but large amounts can actually kill you. Don't risk it with your children or pets; they can not handle the same amounts as a healthy adult.
Some of the symptoms you may find from ingesting too many apple seeds could include seizures, headache, lightheadedness, dizziness, fluctuations in heart rate, changes in breathing rate, changes in blood pressure, vomiting. Consume enough seeds and you may develop breathing problems and then death may follow.
Okay now that I've given you the down side (which isn't even a down side as long as your remove the seeds which most of us have always done) let me give you some of the benefits of eating Apples. And, thankfully, there are many benefits. And I'm talking besides how beautiful they look and wonderfully sweet and juicey they taste and smell.
Most of us have heard of the fiber and antioxidants that apples contain. But did you know they also have a flavanoid called phloridzin. Phloridzin is found only in apples and it is believed phloridzin may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may increase bone density.
Apples contain Boron. This is an ingredient that strengthens bones.
Research has found that children with asthma who drink apple juice on a daily basis suffer less wheezing than children who don’t drink apple juice as often. Children born to woman who frequently eat apples have lower rates of asthma.
Apples contain quercetin which may protect brain cells from the free radicals that may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
The pectin in apples (fiber) can lower LDL cholesterol. (That’s the bad stuff)
There is a study of 10,000 people who ate apples. Of those 10,000, the ones that ate the most apples had a 50% lower risk of developing lung cancer. This is believed to be due to the flavonoids quercetin and naringin which is found in high amounts in apples.
Another study, by Cornell University, using rats found that by feeding rats apples everyday they lowered the risk of breast cancer up to 44%.
According to the University of California, Davis Medical Center, eating as part of your diet can reduce the marker for heart disease in only a few weeks.
One study fed rats an extract from the apple skins and had a 43% lower risk of colon cancer.
The fiber from apples helps a digestive system stay healthy.
One study found that feeding an extract from apple skins had a 57% lower risk of liver cancer.
Galacturonic acid is the main feature of pectin. Galacturonic lowers the need for insulin. So apples may help with diabetics. (always check with your doctor first)
By filling up on fiber rich apples a person can lose weight faster!
So let’s revisit this list. Apples appear to help with or help prevent the following: Asthma, Bone strength, Alzheimer’s, Cholesterol, Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Heart Disease, Colon Cancer, Liver Caner, Diabetes, and Weight Loss.
Apples are full of Antioxidants. What do antioxidants do? They run around your body trapping Free Radicals and stopping them from damaging your cells.
Anyone want an Apple? No wonder the saying goes… An apple a day…
Sorry I seem to have gone off in a tangent but health is very important to me. And sharing what I learn is also very essential to me. So next spring when you see the apple trees in blossom and you’re enjoying the beauty of it you can rejoice in the knowledge that those pretty little sweet smelling buds are growing true health gems for you come fall.
So while you’re on this vacation, on our glorious planet, remember to allow your heart to open to new experiences and most of all to family and friends.
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