Many of us have longbelieved the old Pembrokeshireproverb suggesting that eating an apple on going to bed will keep the doctorfrom earning his bread. Unfortunately this mightnot be enough for you to remain healthy, but it will for sure keep the pharmacist at bay.
A new study by researchersfrom the University of Michigan and Dartmouth College has come to contradictwhat your mother told you about this age-old aphorism.
Matthew Davis, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, was quoted by The Atlantic saying that people who eat an apple a day are a little more likely to keep the doctor away, but once adjusted for all the other differences the effect disappeared.
To reach their conclusion,researchers had a look at data of U.S. adults who completed the 24-hourdietary recall questionnaire in the National Health and Nutritional Examinationsurvey. Data revealed that over 19 million Americans consume at least an applea day.
Researchers realized thatabout 40 percent of adults who take an apple a day keep the doctor away, compared to 33% who do not eat it.
However this conclusion does`t necessarilyconfirm our long time belief about apple consumption when it comes to health.
In addition to thisconclusion, they determined that adults who eat an apple a day had otherhealthy habits. They were less likely to smoke and had a higher averageeducation level. Researchers finally concluded that eating an apple a day won`t in itselfkeep the doctor away.
The research nonethelessconcluded that eating an apple a day may keep the pharmacists away. They foundout that 48% of adults who consume an apple a day will avoid the pharmacist comparedto 42% who don`t.
Dr. Matthew Davis saidthat the association between apple consumption and keeping the pharmacist awaywas robust.
He went on saying that the association persisted when they adjustedfor people`s health habits. Eatingan apple may be healthy for us but it was not their actual medicinal properties thatwere being glorified when the proverb was first coined in February 1866 editionof Notes and Queries magazine.
Despite this disturbingfinding, apples play an important role in promoting good health. Apples containVitamin C which boosts the immune system. It also reduces cholesterol, a fat thatcan increase your risk of heart diseases. They are also low in calories, havean insignificant amount of sodium and lack fat and cholesterol.
Though eating an apple aday does`t automatically stop the doctor from earning his bread, they are neverthelessworth consuming. Public health specialists agree among other benefits that applesreduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and are among thehealthiest food you can eat.