The old adage ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ seems to have some truth attached to it. Over the past years, we came across investigations which highlighted the probable benefits of an apple in fighting colon cancer as well as Alzheimer’s disease. A latest research now claims that a healthful antioxidant substance in apples extends the average lifespan by 10 percent.
The investigation was triggered on fruit flies and several animal tests which concluded that apple antioxidants may be helpful in boosting longevity. Damaging substances generated in the body, known as radicals possibly lead to aging process and some diseases. Substances like antioxidants, on the other hand, are assumed to fight this damage. Fruits and vegetables, particularly brightly colored foods, such as tomatoes, broccoli, blueberries, and apples are believed to be rich sources of antioxidants.
Since an apple antioxidant is predicted to extend average lifespan, researchers focused on studying the antioxidant called polyphenols in fruit flies. Zhen-Yu Chen and colleagues observed that apple polyphenols prolong the average lifespan of fruit flies. These antioxidants seemingly preserved the fruit flies ability to walk, climb and move around. Apple polyphenols allegedly reversed the levels of certain biochemical substances found in older fruit flies. These substances appear as markers for age-related deterioration and approaching death.
The study is published in ACS’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.