Apples & Antioxidants

One of the most powerful steps that you can take to prevent disease is to eat plenty of antioxidant-rich foods.

A recent study by the Canadian government found that good ol' apples are an excellent source of antioxidants. Here is a summary of what this study found:

• Of eight different varieties of apples, Red Delicious had the highest concentration of antioxidants
• The skin of Red Delicious apples contains over six times the number of antioxidants as the flesh
• From most to least, the order of antioxidant power of the eight varieties that were tested was:
  1. Red Delicious
  2. Northern Spy
  3. Cortland
  4. Ida Red
  5. Golden Delicious
  6. McIntosh
  7. Mutsu
  8. Empire
• In every variety tested, the skin contained far more antioxidants than the flesh
• The top three apples for antioxidant content of the flesh alone were:
  1. Northern Spy
  2. Cortland
  3. Red Delicious

This study supports the idea that it is best to eat foods in their whole, natural states. Whether you buy organic or non-organic varieties of apples and other produce, be sure to wash them thoroughly with water or a combination of water, lemon juice, and salt.

One of our readers, Ken H., wrote in with the following useful tip about cleaning produce:

"Because the outside is removed from products such as melons, citrus, bananas, pineapples, etc. people have a tendency to not take proper cleaning steps. They must be cleaned (properly)...The knife that cuts them (can) drag bacteria from the outside to the inside."

If you haven't already done so, be sure to read our articles on The 20 Most Antioxidant-Rich Foods and Which Fruits and Vegetables are the Least and Most Contaminated With Pesticides?.