A nutrition expert has said that eating two pieces of fruit a day can send cholesterol levels plummeting. And the good news is that it’s not an expensive exotic fruit only available in specialist retailers - it’s the humble apple. Scientific research into the apple has revealed that the benefits are in the skin and core - where the pectin is concentrated - so don’t peel it.
Pectin has been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels, a risk factor for heart disease. A 2020 paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that healthy midlifers who ate two apples a day for eight weeks had their cholesterol levels reduced. Drinking apple juice, which contains none of the fibre, did not have the same effect.
Eli Brecher, a nutritionist said: “Apples are a nutrient-dense fruit, containing 10 per cent of your daily vitamin C intake, alongside copper, vitamin K and vitamin E. An apple a day is a great habit for a healthy heart as not only does the pectin help to lower cholesterol but the polyphenols in apples are linked to lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of a stroke.” When 40 people with slightly high cholesterol ate two large apples a day for eight weeks, it lowered their levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol by almost four per cent, another study found.
That could help to reduce their risk of a stroke or heart attack, which can be caused by cholesterol hardening the arteries. Researchers also found people had healthier, more relaxed blood vessels aft.
