This apple a day keeps the doctor further away

A Red Delicious apple a day keeps the doctor furthest away. This variety contains higher levels of disease-fighting chemicals than some other varieties, a Canadian study has found.

Apples – and especially their skins – are a good source of dietary antioxidants. These help neutralise reactive molecules called free radicals, which have been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease. A team led by Rong Tsao of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Guelph, Ontario, measured the antioxidant activity of the skins of eight popular apple varieties.Red Delicious apples had the strongest antioxidant activity, more than six times that of the wimpiest variety, Empire. Ida Red and Cortland varieties took second and third place, well behind Red Delicious. Although the top three apples on Tsao’s list were red, he says colour is not a reliable indicator of antioxidant content. The results will be published in the 29 June issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.Red Delicious apples have become less popular in recent years as consumers have sought out other varieties, says Elmer Kidd, director of production for Stark Bro’s Nurseries and Orchards of Missouri, which introduced Red Delicious in 1893. “Red Delicious looks good, tastes sweet, and has a long shelf life,” he says. “I hope consumers rediscover it.”(Source: New Scientist magazine, 04 June 2005, page 19; issue 2502.)