Fighting Obesity

Fighting Obesity

Fighting Obesity. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

I’m a bit of a health nut so anytime I see stories about how certain foods affect health and weight loss, I check them out. This one really caught my eye. Scientists at Washington State University have concluded that non-digestible compounds in apples - specifically, Granny Smith apples - may help prevent disorders associated with obesity. The scientist that is conducting this research is WSU’s Giuliana Noratto.

NORATTO: I wanted to know if the use of these produce for obesity preventions the less we can absorb, the better because the less calories we can get from the food.

The tart green Granny Smith apples benefit the growth of friendly bacteria in the colon due to their high content of non-digestible compounds, including dietary fiber and polyphenols, and low content of available carbohydrates. Despite being subjected to chewing, stomach acid and digestive enzymes, these compounds remain intact when they reach the colon. Once there, they are fermented by bacteria in the colon, which benefits the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut.

NORATTO: All those compounds are present in apples but there are a significant difference in contents.

The discovery could help prevent some of the disorders associated with obesity such as low-grade, chronic inflammation that can lead to diabetes. All that from eating an apple.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.

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