Polishing the apple's popular image as a healthy food
Key points
- Scientists are reporting the first evidence that consumption of a healthful antioxidant substance in apples extends the average lifespan of test animals, and does so by 10 percent.
- Zhen-Yu Chen and colleagues note that damaging substances generated in the body, termed free radicals, cause undesirable changes believed to be involved in the aging process and some diseases.
- The researchers found that apple polyphenols not only prolonged the average lifespan of fruit flies but helped preserve their ability to walk, climb and move about.
- Chen and colleagues note that the results support those from other studies, including one in which women who often ate apples had a 13-22 percent decrease in the risk of heart disease, and polish the apple's popular culture image as a healthy food.
Scientists are reporting the first evidence that consumption of a healthful antioxidant substance in apples extends the average lifespan of test animals, and does so by 10 percent. The new results, obtained with fruit flies - stand-ins for humans in hundreds of research projects each year - bolster similar findings on apple antioxidants in other animal tests. The study appears in ACS's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Zhen-Yu Chen and colleagues note that damaging substances generated in the body, termed free radicals, cause undesirable changes believed to be involved in the aging process and some diseases. Substances known as antioxidants can combat this damage. Fruits and vegetables in the diet, especially brightly colored foods like tomatoes, broccoli, blueberries, and apples are excellent sources of antioxidants. A previous study with other test animals hinted that an apple antioxidant could extend average lifespan. In the current report, the researchers studied whether different apple antioxidants, known as polyphenols, could do the same thing in fruit flies.
The researchers found that apple polyphenols not only prolonged the average lifespan of fruit flies but helped preserve their ability to walk, climb and move about. In addition, apple polyphenols reversed the levels of various biochemical substances found in older fruit flies and used as markers for age-related deterioration and approaching death.
Chen and colleagues note that the results support those from other studies, including one in which women who often ate apples had a 13-22 percent decrease in the risk of heart disease, and polish the apple's popular culture image as a healthy food.
###
ARTICLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
"Apple Polyphenols Extend the Mean Lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster"
DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE
http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/presspac/presspac/full/10.1021/jf1046267
CONTACT:
Zhen-Yu Chen, Ph.D.
Food and Nutritional Sciences Programme
School of Life Sciences
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, NT
Hong Kong, China
Phone: +852 2609-6382
Fax: +852 2603-7246
Email: [email protected]
###
Contact: Michael Bernstein
[email protected]
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Weight & Nutrition →NewsLack of Sleep Can Lead to Unhealthy Food Choices
Two recent studies presented at the SLEEP Medicine Conference in Boston this week suggest that sleep deprivation may lead to poor or unhealthy food choices. It seems that a loss of sleep can lead to dysfunction in…
14 June 2012
NewsToo much vitamin D can be as unhealthy as too little
Scientists know that Vitamin D deficiency is not healthy. However, new research from the University of Copenhagen now indicates that too high a level of the essential vitamin is not good either. The study is based on…
30 May 2012
NewsTV Ads Linked to Unhealthy Diets in Young Adults
Fast food and alcohol advertising on television have a negative influence on young people's weight and underage drinking, researchers affirmed in a survey. Risk of obesity rose 3% with each fast food chain ad remembered…
1 May 2012
