The humble apple has long been considered a super fruit for its health benefits. Now, Polish scientists have claimed that eating an apple daily may reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
The study appeared in the European Journal Of Cancer Prevention, compared 592 patients suffering from the cancer - also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer - with 765 patients without the disease at the same hospital.
Those with cancer had eaten 9.5 servings a week, compared to those without the disease, who had 11 servings a week.
After a certain period, the scientists found a reduced risk of developing the disease among those “who ate one apple a day, with the odds at 0.65, while eating more than one apple a day reduced the risk by about half,” the Daily Mail reported.
“Eating other fruit or vegetables did not have the same effects on the risk of colorectal cancer,” it said.
According to the scientists, the protective properties of apples may be as a result of their high content of flavonoids.
These act as antioxidants found concentrated in the skin of apples, preventing molecules or free radicals from inflicting damage on tissue and which can inhibit cancer onset and cell proliferation.
Antioxidants were five times more prevalent in the apple skin than the actual flesh - so wash, but do not peel before you eat, the researchers suggested.
However, the World Cancer Research Fund says its research has shown that the risk of all cancers can be reduced by between 30 to 40 per cent by making simple lifestyle changes, such as eating more fruit and vegetables, taking regular exercise and watching our weight.
Earlier studies have also claimed that apple is a wealthy resource of falconoid and polyphones, both are dominant antioxidants, which help reduce cholesterol and fight free radicals. They also help combat premature ageing and protect against skin diseases.
