Researchers from Florida State University found in a study of post-menopausal women that eating an apple a day helped reduce "bad" cholesterol by an average of 23 percent and allowed the women to lose weight. The study looked at 160 women who ate 2/3 of a cup of dried apples or prunes daily for a year. Those who ate the apples saw their "bad cholesterol" (or LDL) drop 23 percent after six months. At the same time, their "good cholesterol" (or HDL) increased by 4 percent. Despite the fact that the apple added more than 200 calories to their daily intake, the women dropped an average of 3.3 pounds while eating the apples. The fruit was chosen because it contains a compound that help the metabolization of fat and another that reduces the production of inflammatory cells. The researchers now hope to expand their study nationally. Still, it seems same to say that apples can only help one's health. Photo by Linds :)
