There are many sayings associated withy eating the all American favorite fruit, the apple. Some say, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" while others say, "To eat an apple going to bed, will make the doctor beg his bread." These well known sayings have proven to be nothing if not correct. Apples are a part of the rose family and archaeologists have found apple fossil remains that show that they have been around for approximately 5,000 years and are believed to go back as far as the Neolithic times.

Apples are very detoxifying to the body and when made into apple juice it is capable of killing a number of viruses in the human body. In a recent study conducted at Cornell University apples were shown to contain only small quantities of vitamin C however consuming only 100 grams of an apple provided the exact same amount of antioxidant properties as if a person were to consume 1,500 of the same vitamin in tablet form. If you tend to eat all of the apple including the seeds be aware that consuming too many apple seeds can be toxic if taken in large quantities so it might be best to stop eating the apple once you reach the seeds.

Apples have many benefits such as they clean the teeth and are beneficial to strengthening the gums. Apples are able to lower the level of bad cholesterol in the body. Apples are detoxifying to the body and in particular the liver which is the main detoxifying organ in the body and it has a great deal of antiviral properties. Apples are helpful when it comes to the digestive process and it very good at preventing constipation from occurring. Apples are also full of fiber. In fact eating one big apple provides a person with an estimated 30 percent of the minimum amount of fiber that is needed on a regular basis.

People who suffer from rheumatism and gout should eat apples as often as possible as apples tend to encourage the healing process. It is well documented that consuming two apples on a daily basis makes it possible to decrease bad overall cholesterol levels by 10 percent. Consuming apple juice on an average of two to three times per day is able to discourage a selection of viruses from taking up residence in the body. People who have problems digesting their food or who tend to suffer from indigestion would do well to eat apples more often for optimum digestive health. In particular eat an apple or a few pieces of apple before you sit down to eat a meal. Apples also help to prevent diarrhea. Grate an apple and then mix it with yogurt that includes an active bacterial culture and this can discourage the onset of diarrhea.

When it comes to purchasing apples always buy ones that have been kept cold because otherwise they can easily be deemed overripe in a matter of a few days. Apples are supposed to be hard and firm. Try this test- if you can easily dent an apple or stick your finger in it then it is not good so put this one back and keep looking. Always keep apples in the refrigerator and not sitting out on a bowl on the kitchen counter or a table. Apples that are not kept cold can decay very quickly. In order to prevent apples from turning brown rub the surface that is cut with a combination of water and lemon juice.