This apple a day keeps the doctor further away
04 June 2005
From New Scientist Print Edition
A RED Delicious apple a day keeps the doctor furthest away. This variety contains higher levels of disease-fighting chemicals than some other varieties, a Canadian study has found.
Apples - and especially their skins - are a good source of dietary antioxidants. These help neutralise reactive molecules called free radicals, which have been linked to cancer, Alzheimer's and heart disease. A team led by Rong Tsao of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Guelph, Ontario, measured the antioxidant activity of the skins of eight popular apple varieties.
Red Delicious apples had the strongest antioxidant activity, more than six times that of the wimpiest variety, Empire. Ida Red and Cortland varieties took second and third place, well behind Red Delicious. Although the top three apples on Tsao's list were red, he says colour is not a reliable indicator of antioxidant content. The results will be published in the 29 June issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
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