There has been an increasing appreciation and understanding of the link between dietary fruit and vegetable intake and improved health in humans. The widespread and growing intake of apples and apple juice/products and their rich phytochemical profile suggest their important potential to affect the health of the populations consuming them. This review summarizes current clinical, in vitro, and in vivo data and builds upon earlier published reports that apple may reduce the risk of chronic disease by various mechanisms, including antioxidant, antiproliferative, and cell signaling effects. Exposure to apples and apple products has been associated with beneficial effects on risk, markers, and etiology of cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and Alzheimer's disease. Recent work suggests that these products may also be associated with improved outcomes related to cognitive decline of normal aging, diabetes, weight management, bone health, pulmonary function, and gastrointestinal protection.
Abbreviations used
AP
apple product
FRAP
ferric-reducing antioxidant potential
MDA
malondialdehyde
PKC
protein kinase C
ROS
reactive oxygen species
SOD
superoxide dismutase
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Supported in part by the United States Apple Association and the Apple Products Research and Education Council.
Author disclosure: D.A. Hyson, no conflicts of interest.