Apples are one of the most popular fruits and with good reason. They provide a host of nutrients and dietary fiber. At this time of year the best way to get them is to go pick them yourself. There are countless pick your own farms around. It is a great experience to take the family out and pick your own. If you’ve read our newsletters for any length of time you know how important I think it is to get kids involved in the process of getting and preparing food to develop healthy habits. What’s better than going out to an orchard and letting them run around and pick apples themselves right off the tree. It’s way more exciting than dragging them to the grocery store and there are no candy isles out in an orchard!

So what kind of benefits do you get from apples? Check these out:

Apples are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants help boost our immune system. The boost to our immune system and the lowering of inflammation in the antioxidants has been linked to lower cancer rates.
Apples are high in fiber which aids digestion and helps to fill us up. This can help with weight loss.
The fiber in apples is a great prebiotic. Prebiotic fibers feed the healthy gut bacteria we are supposed to have and make them a great addition to taking probiotics.
The fiber is also great for heart health and blood vessels in general. Studies have linked eating apples with lower risks of heart disease and stroke.
One study even showed the nutrients in apples help prevent mental decline so they even protect your brain.

To get the most benefit from your apple eat it whole. The skin contains many of the vitamins and much of the fiber. Yes you can make an apple crisp or apple pie but make sure you’re eating them whole and raw too.

So it really is true and apple a day can keep the doctor away. But not the Chiropractor. You still need us.