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Nutrition experts have pinpointed two superfoods that could help improve your health and potentially allow you to avoid a trip to the GP – and they’re both easy to get hold of Nutrition experts have suggested two simple and affordable dietary additions to promote longevity – the humble apple and wholegrains. The apple, rich in minerals and vitamins, can significantly improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease risk.
Adding wholegrains to your diet can also greatly benefit areas such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels, while helping to prevent diabetes, cancers, and obesity. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine involving 8,000 adults, highlighted by The Times, found that those who consumed at least one apple daily were slightly less likely to require a GP visit.
The old adage ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ does hold some truth – apples may contain less vitamin C than oranges, but they offer more fibre than melons and double the amount found in pears. A key advantage of apples lies in their pectin content – a type of fibre present in the skin and core.
Registered nutritionist Rob Hobson, author of Unprocess Your Life, stated: “Pectin, also found in pears and plums, has been shown in studies, including a review in the journal Clinical Nutrition, to improve blood cholesterol levels. That will help to reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Experts are urging folks to embrace wholegrains like quinoa, bulgur, and buckwheat for their wealth of health benefits, including a vital boost of fibre. Nutrition guru Rhiannon Lambert shared some wisdom with Gloucestershire Live: “The bran and inner germ of wholegrains are packed with B vitamins, antioxidants and small amounts of healthy fats. Daily consumption of them is linked to better gut and heart health and the prevention of diabetes, cancers and obesity, yet 95 per cent of UK adults don’t eat enough.”
Recent studies, one featured in the Journal of Nutrition, tell us that chowing down on at least 50 grams of wholegrains daily can significantly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes – by 34% for men and 22% for women, no less. This find was after observing over 55,000 participants over 15 years.
Meanwhile, findings from Tufts University suggest that living your best life at midlife means going big on wholegrains – think three servings a day to avoid unwelcome upticks in waist size, blood pressure, and blood sugar level compared to people who skimp on these fibrous foods.
