How just two apples a day could cut the risk of heart disease

Just two apples a day could help protect women against heart disease by cutting their cholesterol levels, according to new research. Scientists found apples significantly lowered blood fat levels in postmenopausal women, the group most at risk of heart attacks and strokes. Snacking on the fruit every day for six months slashed cholesterol by almost a quarter. 

The biggest reduction was seen in low-density lipoprotein, the so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol that furs up arteries and raises the risk of a life-threatening clot forming near the heart or brain. The findings, by a team of researchers at Florida State University in the U.S, support previous evidence that apples could be good for the heart. 

But the latest study suggests they could benefit one of the highest-risk groups. Around 45 per cent of British women will suffer from heart disease or a stroke and it is the biggest single cause of death among post-menopausal women. 

Up to the menopause, women appear to have a natural immunity to heart disease and the rate of illness is only a third of that seen in men. But from the age of around 50 onwards, the incidence increases sharply. Researchers wanted to see if eating the equivalent of two apples every day could have a significant effect on heart disease risk. 

They recruited 160 women who had been through the menopause and got half to eat 75 grammes a day of dried apple - the equivalent of two medium-sized fresh apples. As a comparison, the other half were told to eat the same quantity of prunes to see if they had a similar effect.

Powered by Twitter Fan Box & Pizcar

Posted in: latest health news