We're told an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but does this humble fruit really have an outsized positive effect on our health?

The world loves apples. Every year, almost 100 million tonnes of apples are produced globally. These fruits, which comes in a wide range of colours and flavours, have long had a reputation for helping us stay healthy.

The popular phrase "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" originates from a slightly wordier Welsh proverb written in 1866: "Eat an apple on going to bed and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread."

But is there any truth at the core of this longstanding maxim? And are apples especially healthy compared to other fruit?

First, let's think about the nutrients that apples contain. For one thing, they are a rich source of phytochemicals, including flavanols. These compounds have been linked to numerous health benefits, such as maintaining a healthy weight and lowering your heart disease risk.

Apples also contain various polyphenols, including anthocyanins, which help give some apple peel its red colour and are associated with improved heart health. Another polyphenol you'll find in apples is phloridzin. It has been found to help control blood glucose.

There's also lots of fibre in apples, largely pectin, which reduces the amount of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) – the unhealthy form of cholesterol – in our blood. Pectin also lowers the amount of sugar and fat we absorb from food, helping to stabilise our blood sugar levels.

These nutrients in apples do seem to offer health benefits. A 2017 review of five studies reported that eating apples is associated with an 18% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Another review from 2022, which analysed 18 studies, found that eating more apples, or apple-derived foods such as apple juice, can reduce cholesterol, if you sustain the habit for more than one week.

Having a healthy diet in general can lower your risk of cancer by up to 40%, largely thanks to bioactive compounds, phytochemicals, that are common in apples. Some studies have even linked apple consumption to having a lower risk of developing certain cancers.

Regularly eating apples appears to be associated with various health benefits – and we know they're packed with healthy compounds. But are apples, specifically, any more effective than other plant-based foods at keeping the doctor away?

"Apples don't have much vitamin C, and they have no iron........

© BBC