Apples are a staple fruit in Northern households during winter. Because they are delicious, easy to store, and inexpensive, every family keeps dozens or even hundreds of them, ensuring a constant supply on their coffee tables.
The benefits of eating apples
Apples contain tannic acid and organic acids, which have an astringent effect to stop diarrhea;
The coarse fiber in apples can also soften stools and facilitate bowel movements, so apples have a dual effect of stopping diarrhea and promoting bowel regularity.
Apples can also strengthen the spleen and stomach, replenish the middle jiao's energy, and promote the digestion and absorption of food, playing an important role in intestinal excretion and nutrient absorption.
Who should not eat apples?
1. Patients with ulcerative colitis
Patients with ulcerative colitis should not eat raw apples, especially during acute flare-ups. Because the intestinal wall is ulcerated and thinned, and given that apples are relatively hard and contain 1.2% coarse fiber and 0.5% organic acids which are irritating, they are not conducive to the healing of the ulcerated intestinal wall. Furthermore, the mechanical action on the intestinal wall can easily induce complications such as intestinal perforation, intestinal dilation, and intestinal obstruction.
2. Patients with leukopenia or benign prostatic hyperplasia
Patients with leukopenia or benign prostatic hyperplasia should not eat raw apples, as it may worsen their symptoms or affect the effectiveness of their treatment.