This nutritious fruit offers multiple health benefits. Apples may lower your chance of developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Research says apples may also help you lose weight while improving your gut and brain health.

Apples are the most widely consumedfruit globally.

From sweet red varieties, like Red Delicious, Fuji, or Gala, to tangy green ones, like Granny Smith, there is an apple for everyone.

They’re commonly used in recipes like pies, cookies, muffins, jam, salads, oatmeal, or smoothies. They also make a great snack or wedged and smeared with nut butter.

In addition to their culinary versatility and numerous colors and flavors, apples are an exceptionally healthy fruit with many research-backed benefits.

1. Nutritious

Apples are considered nutrient-dense fruits, meaning they provide a lot of nutrients per serving.

The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 2 cups of fruit daily for a 2,000-calorie diet, emphasizing whole fruits like apples.

Apples are also a rich source of polyphenols, an important group of antioxidants. While nutrition labels don’t list these plant compounds, they’re likely responsible for many of the health benefits of apples.

To get the most out of apples, leave the skin on. The skin contains half of the fruit’s fiber and most of its polyphenols.

2. May support weight loss

Apples are high in fiber and water, which makes them filling.

In one study, eating whole apples increased fullness more than consuming equal amounts of apple juice. This may happen because whole apples reduce gastric emptying — the rate at which your stomach empties.

Some 2019 research suggests that apple intake may lower Body Mass Index (BMI). A high BMI is a weight-related risk factor for heart disease. A 2018 study also indicated that apple polyphenols may also have anti-obesity effects. However, a 2021 trial found that 44 participants who ate 3 whole apples for 6 weeks did not show changes in BMI or other CVD risk markers. This study also did not show any weight loss. Due to the mixed research, more studies are needed to determine the effect of apples on weight.

3. Could be good for your heart

Apples have been linked to a lower chance of heart disease. Research has found that eating 100 to 150 g/d of whole apples is associated with a lower chance of heart disease and risk factors such as high blood pressure.

One reason may be that they contain soluble fiber.

Another reason may be that they offer polyphenols. Some of these may help lower blood pressure. Studies have also linked high intakes of flavonoids with a lower chance of stroke.

A 2020 study has also linked eating apples to a reduced chance of stroke.

4. Linked to a lower chance of diabetes

Eating apples may also reduce your chances of type 2 diabetes. A 2019 review suggested that eating apples could decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The high amount of the polyphenol quercetin in apples could explain this beneficial effect.

However, if you have diabetes, it’s important to make sure your blood sugar levels do not get too high.

5. May promote gut health

Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic in your gut microbiome, and a healthy gut is often key to better health.

Since dietary fiber cannot be digested, pectin reaches your colon intact, promoting the growth of good bacteria. It especially improves the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes, the two main types of bacteria in your gut.

New research suggests that, by beneficially altering your gut microbiota, apples may help protect against chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

6. May help prevent cancer

Research suggests apple polyphenols can help prevent cancerous cells from multiplying. A 2021 review suggests that in vivo and in vitro studies support the effect of apples on preventing cancer. However, clinical studies are needed to confirm this.

Further research can also determine the bioavailability of apples in humans.

7. Could help fight asthma

Apple skin is rich in the antioxidant quercetin, which can help regulate your immune system and reduce inflammation. Theoretically, this could make apples effective against the late phases of bronchial asthma responses.

Still, more human research is needed on the topic.

8. May help protect your brain

Quercetin in apples may protect your brain from damage caused by oxidative stress.

A review of 14 animal studies suggests quercetin may have some preventive properties against Alzheimer’s disease. Still, the researchers questioned some of the study methodologies and believed more research is needed.

9. May improve mental health

Eating more vegetables and fruits like apples may help your mental health, according to a 2020 review.

That said, the study found this benefit kicks in if you eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily, consistent with the recommendations of the American Dietary Guidelines for daily fruit and vegetable intake.

In addition, a 2019 British study found that adolescents who consume fewer vegetables and fruit in their diet tend to have poorer mental health.

10. May help with digestive diseases

Eating fruit like apples may help reduce the chance of getting gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Multiple studies have also suggested that eating apples can help your body digest food better, which may be helpful with constipation. But the extent of the effect may depend on the type of apple you’re eating.

Takeaway

They’re rich in fiber and antioxidants. Eating them is linked to a lower chance of some conditions.

Apples may also promote weight loss and improve gut and brain health.

Even though more research is needed to better understand how apples affect human health, you can’t go wrong with this tasty, versatile, and easily accessible fruit.