The #1 Change I Noticed When I Ate an Apple Every Day for a Week
Washed apples on a kitchen countertop
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. As a health writer for nearly a decade, I know that one is a bit of a misnomer. I also know apples are a nutritious part of an overall diet, and one lacking on my holiday menu that featured cookies and mashed potatoes (those candied cherries are fruits too, right?).
Listen, I have no shame about my holiday dining game. But my stomach has been in knots since I went off my usual plant-based, low-added-sugar diet. I've also felt sluggish. When I got an email from my editor asking if I'd be willing to eat an apple a day, I sprung for it.
After seven days, I can report that I am still healthy without a sniffle in sight, even though my son has been back in school for a week. I've also noticed other significant changes, including one I am embracing.
Related: 34 Air Fryer Snack Recipes For A Healthier Crunch and Crisp
Does Eating an Apple a Day Keep the Doctor Away?
Not really, but it's healthy. A 2015 cross-sectional study of more than 8,000 adults didn't find evidence to support the idea that consuming apples daily lowered physician visits. However, it did find that people who ate an apple a day were less likely to require prescription medications.
Apples are packed with nutrients to support better health. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these include:
Antioxidants like quercetin
Digestion-aiding fiber
Water
The benefits of consuming apples include:
Blood sugar stabilization
Lower cholesterol
Lower blood pressure
The ability to stay fuller longer
Longevity
Courtesy Beth Ann Mayer
The Biggest Change I Noticed When I Ate an Apple a Day
The #1 change I noticed? I was way more hydrated. I've been on a hydration kick since I was challenged to drink at least eight glasses of water daily for two weeks. I had been meeting my daily water goals but, again, the holidays happened, and my routines just went by the wayside. I felt more sluggish, and the heartburn was real (and affecting my sleep).
The need to drink eight glasses of water daily is also a bit of a misnomer, in part because water can also come from foods. The Cleveland Clinic notes that apples are made from 85% water, so it's no wonder I felt less thirsty throughout the day (and experience less sleep-interrupting indigestion in the evenings).
Related: 34 Air Fryer Snack Recipes For A Healthier Crunch and Crisp
3 Other Changes I Noticed After Consuming an Apple a Day
1. My stomach felt way better
I can't give all the credit to apples here, as I also resumed a plant-centric diet that went light on sodium and sugar (and if I am being honest, wine). Apples are packed with fiber, so a happy stomach was a welcome relief from the bah-humbug stomach pains of the Christmas season.
2. I wasn't hungry every hour
Despite eating a good bit of food during the holidays, I was always hungry quickly after meals that consisted of those aforementioned cookies and mashed potatoes. As a health writer, I've been told time and again by experts that refined carbs and added sugar can provide a quick jolt followed by a crash. Apples, which boast natural sugar and fiber, can help people feel satisfied longer—me being one of them. This perk also probably helped my stomach issues.
3. I had more energy
Maybe it was a product of more stable blood sugar, or perhaps it was the extra hour I didn't have to spend trying to fall back asleep after experiencing heartburn at two a.m. It was actually most likely a product of both. Eating apples left me feeling less sluggish, giving me more energy for morning workouts and my kids.
Related: 40 Winter Salads To Add Brightness to the Colder Months
Why I'm Going To Keep Consuming Tons of Apples
I'm not sure if I am going to continue to eat an apple per day every day—variety is the spice of life, right? However, I plan to keep apples in my regular rotation of fruits to gobble up because:
Apples are diverse. From the sweet, juicy McIntosh to the slightly balanced Honeycrisp, there are enough varieties of apples to make you feel like you're consuming something different every day. Try stocking up on two to three types of apples if you get bored having the literal same thing every day.
There are lots of ways to consume apples. Speaking of variety, you have tons of options for apples. During my seven-day challenge, I ate apples as a standalone snack. I added them to oatmeal and smoothies. My favorite? Mixing an apple with Greek yogurt and a touch of cinnamon for a protein- and fiber-rich dessert that quenched sugar cravings.
Apples are a busy person's dream. Yes, you can add them to recipes, but apples are also a grab-and-go food (Busy moms, rejoice).
I like the way they make me feel. I don't subscribe to the food-is-fuel diet culture lines—food is also nostalgia, community and more. However, there's no denying that I felt better when going back on my regular diet, and for at least a week, that diet consistently included apples. Feeling good lets me do more things I enjoy, and that's worth it for me.
Next up: 6 Parts of Your Body You Should Never Touch
Sources
Association Between Apple Consumption and Physician Visits, JAMA Internal Medicine
Medical myths, BMJ
Apples, raw, with skin, USDA
