Israeli report shows an apple a day may really keep the doctor away

The meta-analysis of 41 studies from Europe, the Far East, South America and Africa between 1994 and 2014 found that eating apples regularly has a protective effect against several types of cancer.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Updated: OCTOBER 5, 2016 09:12
Apples (photo credit: REUTERS)
Apples
(photo credit: REUTERS)
An apple – traditionally eaten with honey on Rosh Hashana – may keep cancer away, according to new research from Italy, reported by the Israel Cancer Association on Saturday night.
It was US diplomat and inventor Benjamin Franklin who allegedly first coined the quote.
The meta-analysis of 41 studies from Europe, the Far East, South America and Africa between 1994 and 2014 found that eating apples regularly has a protective effect against several types of cancer. The study includes controls for age, whether the participants smoke or drank alcohol and whether they took vitamin C or E.
People who ate at least one apple, or 25 grams of apple per day, were found to be more protected against cancer than people who ate no apples or fewer apples per week.
Israel Cancer Association director-general Miri Ziv said the results of the research “prove a direct connection between diet and reducing the risk of contracting cancer, and joins our long-time recommendations to eat right, exercise, avoid tobacco and limit alcohol consumption.”
Ten studies that dealt with eating applies showed that doing so cut the risk of lung cancer by 12%, as compared to those who didn’t eat apples. Regular consumption of applies was also connected in 15 studies to reducing gastrointestinal cancer – including that of the esophagus, pancreas, mouth and large intestine – by 28%.
Even the risk of breast cancer was found in eight studies to be reduced by 11%, Ziv said.
However, no connection was found between the consumption of apples and a reduction in prostate cancer.