"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This old English proverb can still serve as a guide to a healthy lifestyle today. British medical experts said on the 18th that people over 50 who eat an apple every day can effectively reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Apples are rich in minerals and vitamins, and their nutritional value has long been known. In addition, the fiber, antioxidants, and flavonoids in apples all help protect cardiovascular health.
Researchers at the University of Oxford reported in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal that they used a mathematical model to calculate that if all middle-aged and elderly people over 50 in the UK could stick to eating an apple a day, it could reduce 8,500 deaths from cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease or stroke in a year.
This effect is already close to that of taking medication. The analysis shows that if these middle-aged and elderly people took statin drugs to lower cholesterol every day, it would only reduce 9,400 related deaths in a year.
Adam Briggs, who led the study, said that the above results prove that this proverb from over a hundred years ago is still instructive today, and that seemingly minor dietary changes can bring benefits to the body. Unfortunately, few people can truly achieve the health recommendation that modern people should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
However, the researchers also pointed out that the relevant results do not mean that cardiovascular disease patients who are currently taking medication can stop taking medication and only eat fruit, but only indicate the health benefits of eating more fruit.