04/28/08 Apple Good News

Apple Good News. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. We have talked many times about the health benefits of eating apples. They are a great source of fiber and antioxidants and are even linked to fighting cancer. And the good news doesn't stop there. HAAGA: We have new research that came out that was looking at adults who eat apples, apple juice and apple sauce, all apple products and what the research found was that those adults that ate these products actually had a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome. That's Stacie Haaga, Director of Consumer Health and Education with U.S. Apple. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of health problems related to cardiovascular disease. HAAGA: At last count the government estimated that metabolic syndrome affects about 36 million Americans. I've seen higher statistics from the American Heart Association and it also has a couple of other names. You may have heard of Syndrome X or insulin resistant syndrome and all of those are essentially metabolic syndrome. While eating an apple a day really is a good way to better health, Haaga says the research saw a much broader picture. HAAGA: Those that were eating the apples had lower blood pressure, they had smaller waste lines and overall they had a more nutrient dense diet. Not only are they good for you, they really do taste good so grab one today. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.