Is “An Apple a Day” Still Wise Advice?

This ancient proverb holds truer and more authoritative today than ever before. In the modern age, medical practitioners come equipped with a range of tests, medications, and procedures, all of which carry unintended and adverse health risks that often outweigh their supposed benefits. It is therefore advisable to avoid them whenever possible.

While some may perceive this initial saying as mere folklore, the fact remains that the biomedical literature extensively documents the medicinal properties of apples.

For instance, numerous studies have investigated the relationship between apple consumption and a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Preclinical research has also examined the effects of apple components on the eradication of various types of cancers, including liver, breast, multi-drug resistant, esophageal, and stomach cancers. Apples have been found to inhibit cancer initiation and promotion processes, making them potentially effective against a broader range of cancers than those mentioned.

Furthermore, apples have been shown to aid in the removal of carcinogenic radioisotopes that accumulate in our bodies due to nuclear weapons fallout, depleted uranium munitions, and nuclear energy-related pollution. Apple pectin, for instance, has been used to decrease Cesium-137 levels in children exposed to the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. Apple pectin has also demonstrated the ability to prevent the absorption of Plutonium-239, a highly dangerous man-made radioisotope, in animal gastrointestinal tracts.

Given these remarkable attributes, it can be said that “an apple a day keeps the nuclear fallout away.” Few other substances, whether natural or synthetic, have shown such protective effects against plutonium exposure. In this regard, apples can truly be considered superfoods.