Eating apple is good

Allergy
One form of apple allergy, often found in northern Europe, is called birch-apple syndrome, and is found in people who are also allergic to birch pollen.[citation needed] Allergic reactions are triggered by a protein in apples that is similar to birch pollen, and people affected by this protein can also develop allergies to other fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Reactions, which entail oral allergy syndrome (OAS), generally involve itching and inflammation of the mouth and throat,

but in rare cases can also include life-threatening anaphylaxis. This reaction only occurs when raw fruit is consumed—the allergen is neutralized in the cooking process. The variety of apple, maturity and storage conditions can change the amount of allergen present in individual fruits. Long storage times can increase the amount of proteins that cause birch-apple syndrome.
In other areas, such as the Mediterranean, some individuals have adverse reactions to apples because of their similarity to peaches.[citation needed] This form of apple allergy also includes OAS, but often has more severe symptoms, such as vomiting, abdominal pain and urticaria, and can be life-threatening. Individuals with this form of allergy can also develop reactions to other fruits and nuts. Cooking does not break down the protein causing this particular reaction, so affected individuals can eat neither raw nor cooked apples. Freshly harvested, over-ripe fruits tend to have the highest levels of the protein that causes this reaction.
Breeding efforts have yet to produce a hypoallergenic fruit suitable for either of the two forms of apple allergy.

Toxicity of seeds
The seeds of apples contain small amounts of amygdalin, a sugar and cyanide compound known as a cyanogenic glycoside. Ingesting small amounts of apple seeds will cause no ill effects, but in extremely large doses can cause adverse reactions. There is only one known case of fatal cyanide poisoning from apple seeds; in this case the individual chewed and swallowed one cup of seeds. It may take several hours before the poison takes effect, as cyanogenic glycosides must be hydrolyzed before the cyanide ion is released.

Nutrition
The proverb "An apple a day keeps the doctor away.", addressing the health effects of the fruit, dates from 19th century Wales.Fruit specialist J.T. Stinson popularized this proverb during a lecture at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri.

Research suggests that apples may reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. Apple peels contain ursolic acid which, in rat studies, increases skeletal muscle and brown fat, and decreases white fat, obesity, glucose intolerance, and fatty liver disease.
Apple peels are a source of various phytochemicals with unknown nutritional value and possible antioxidant activity in vitroThe predominant phenolic phytochemicals in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a typical apple serving weighs 242 grams and contains 126 calories with significant dietary fiber and vitamin C content.
Apple juice concentrate has been found to increase the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in mice. Other studies have shown an "alleviation of oxidative damage and cognitive decline" in mice after the administration of apple juice.Fruit flies fed an apple extract lived 10% longer than other flies fed a normal diet.

Apples, with skin (edible parts)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 218 kJ (52 kcal)
Carbohydrates 13.81 g
- Sugars 10.39
- Dietary fiber 2.4 g
Fat 0.17 g
Protein 0.26 g
Water 85.56 g
Vitamin A equiv. 3 μg (0%)
- beta-carotene 27 μg (0%)
- lutein and zeaxanthin 29 μg
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.017 mg (1%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.026 mg (2%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 0.091 mg (1%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.061 mg (1%)
Vitamin B6 0.041 mg (3%)
Folate (vit. B9) 3 μg (1%)
Vitamin C 4.6 mg (6%)
Vitamin E 0.18 mg (1%)
Vitamin K 2.2 μg (2%)
Calcium 6 mg (1%)
Iron 0.12 mg (1%)
Magnesium 5 mg (1%)
Manganese 0.035 mg (2%)
Phosphorus 11 mg (2%)
Potassium 107 mg (2%)
Sodium 1 mg (0%)
Zinc 0.04 mg (0%)
Fluoride 3.3 µg

FOR MORE INFO VISIT http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple

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Soursop Guyabano Health Benefits and Medicinal Uses

Soursop or we call it Guyabano in the Philippines!

It All Begins With Guyabano

Do you love eating guyabano? Have you known of its many benefits? Do you know what guyabano is to begin with?

Guyabano, or soursop, is one of the most common Philippine fruits. Having the scientific name Annona muricata Linn., guyabano is a member of the Annonaceae family and a species of Annona genus. This species is known to produce edible fruits that have distinct sweet-sour taste. While in the Philippines it is known as guyabano, in other countries this fruit is known in different names. In Spain, it is known as guanabana while in Portugues, it is known as graviola. It is also named Brazilian pawpaw, laguana, sarifa, sirsak, Durian Belanda, corossol, zuurzak, sanalapa, mang cau gai, and prickly custard apple in other countries.

The guyabano fruit is said to contain vitamin C, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also rich in fiber, iron, and vitamins B1 and B2. Because of the presence of these vitamins and minerals, guyabano is known to have a lot of health benefits. In a lot of studies, guyabano has been cited as one of the medicinal plants that are readily available to people in tropical countries. One of soursop health benefits is that it enhances the immune system. The high concentration of vitamin C and fiber in guyabano makes the fruit a potent antioxidant that may slow the aging process. Traditionally, its leaves are crushed and applied on wounds on skin while its flesh is applied as a cataplasm for easy healing. Some people from different cultures extract juice from soursop while some would powder its flesh before applying the concoction on their open wounds.


You can eat its flesh raw or you can turn it into a shake (guyabano shake is very popular among Filipinos). Just be careful on its small, black seeds. They are not edible and when they are bitten, they taste really awful.
Many people eat soursop (Annona muricata Linn.) because of its sweet-sour taste. It is known to be one of the well-known Philippine fruits. Its tree has been described as a fruit-bearing and flowering tree. It has broad leaves and registers an evergreen color. Its leaves are oval to oblong in shape and its stems and branches are hairy. It usually grows about 4-6 meters high and bears medium to large flowers which have yellow to greenish-yellow color. The peak season where these flowers bloom is during May to June and these flowers produce the green, pear-shaped guyabano fruit. The fruit contains soft spines and is usually harvested when it is already mature and having green or yellowish green color.

Many books and studies stated that there are many health benefits of soursop. In many countries in the world, it is traditionally used as a treatment for head lice, and stomachaches, among others. Furthermore, by using it as a cataplasm, it promotes faster healing of wounds. It is rich in vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and Vitamins B1 and B2. Because of this, soursop has been known to enhance the immune system. It is also proven to be a potent antioxidant and treat swelling of foot and inflammation.

A lot of studies have been conducted to support these traditional medicinal uses of soursop and one of these proves that soursop can be useful in treating inflammation. Some studies show that it can be a good antioxidant and can treat bacteria infecting open wounds. You can use the extracted juice from its leaves and apply it onto your wound. You can also make a cataplasm using the flesh of guyabano and leave it onto your wound for a couple of days.
 FOR MORE INFO http://www.all-about-philippine-fruits-and-herbs.com/

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