The old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” may now also help with weight gain. Researchers, from the University of Iowa, revealed that mice supplemented with ursolic acid, a compound found in apple peel, in addition to a high-fat diet, burned more calories and had a reduced incidence of obesity, pre-diabetes, and fatty liver disease, as compared to mice that did not receive a supplement. The study authors submit “ursolic acid [may be] a potential therapeutic approach for obesity and obesity-related illness”.
Besides the potential to assist with weight gain, the everyday apple offers many nutritional benefits. They are easy to carry for a snack, delicious, crunchy, low in calories and fairly inexpensive. Containing both soluble and insoluble fiber, they help clean up cholesterol buildup in the lining of the blood vessels and provide bulk in the intestinal tract to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.
So grab an apple – eat the skin to ensure you get your ursolic acid, the vitamin C content that lies just underneath the skin and the extra insoluble fiber content!
Apple Nutrition Facts
(*One medium 2-1/2 inch apple, fresh, raw, with skin)
| Calories 81 Carbohydrate 21 grams Dietary Fiber 4 grams Soluble Fiber Insoluble fiber Calcium 10 mg Phosphorus 10 mg |
Iron .25 mg Sodium 0.00 mg Potassium 159 mg Vitamin C 8 mg Vitamin A 73 IU Folate 4 mcg |
*The nutritional value of apples will vary slightly depending on the variety and size.
Source: USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory — Apple
Reference:
Steven D. Kunkel, Christopher J. Elmore, Kale S. Bongers, Scott M. Ebert, Daniel K. Fox, Christopher M Adams, et al. “Ursolic Acid Increases Skeletal Muscle and Brown Fat and Decreases Diet-Induced Obesity, Glucose Intolerance and Fatty Liver Disease.” PLoS ONE, 20 June 2012.