Study: An apple a day keeps the LDL away
In a small study researchers from Ohio State University had subjects between the ages of 40 and 60 eat one large Delicious apple every day for four weeks. The apple eaters showed a 40 percent decline in their levels of harmful oxidized LDL, a substance linked to clogged arteries. (Sept. 27, 2012) Credit: Bloomberg
This time of year is when apples are abundant, and there's a new study that indicates eating them may help reduce the risk of hardening of the arteries.
In a small study published in the Journal of Functional Foods, researchers from Ohio State University had subjects between the ages of 40 and 60 eat one large Delicious apple -- red or golden -- every day for four weeks. The apple eaters showed a 40 percent decline in their levels of harmful oxidized LDL, a substance linked to clogged arteries. Researchers believe the results were because apples contain polyphenols, an antioxidant that counteracts oxidized LDL. Other participants who received either a placebo or a polyphenol supplement in capsule form did not show the same beneficial results.
The study was partially funded by the U.S. Apple Association.
