Almost everyone has heard the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," but is there any truth behind the proverb?
I've heard it ever since I was a little kid, but I always assumed it was just something parents said to try to convince their children to eat more fruits and veggies.
Of course, we all know that eating healthily is good for you, but is there anything specific about eating apples that fights illness?
Well, I decided to test it for myself to find out. For one month straight, I vowed to eat an apple a day to really see whether it actually would keep the doctor away.
I like apples as much as the next person, but eating one every single day seemed a bit daunting. Luckily, I had some plans for delicious apple recipes, so I wasn't too worried.
Check out the images below to see what happened during my monthlong "apple a day" experiment!
History Of The Proverb
According to The Washington Post, the phrase "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," was coined in the 1860s.
That said, the familiar adage actually came from an old Welsh proverb. The original phrase was, "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread."
The idea behind both the old and current phrase is that apples have healthful properties.
Health Benefits Of Apples
Since the proverb is all about the nutrition of apples, let's dive into the health benefits.
Apples are a low-calorie fruit that have a lot of dietary fiber, which helps with digestive and cardiovascular health.
Apples also have potassium, vitamin A, iron, and vitamin C. On top of that, apples have no fat, no trans fat, no saturated fat, no sodium, and no cholesterol!
My Experiment
For one month straight, I would eat an apple each and every day.
Aside from adding an apple to my diet, I wouldn't change any of my other habits.
For the whole month, I would also avoid taking vitamins or supplements to improve my health; instead, I would just eat my apples.
Of course, I still ate other food during this experiment, but apples became an essential part of my diet.
Week 1
The first week of the experiment was fairly easy; I ate my apples plain or sliced up with peanut butter.
I mostly stuck to Honeycrisp apples (my favorite), but I ate a few Granny Smiths as well.
Week 2
By week two, I was already growing bored of eating apples.
Even though I'd planned on making all sorts of fancy apple dishes (like applesauce, baked apples, etc.), I quickly realized I was way too lazy to put in the effort.
Week 3
During the third week, I had a renewed zest for eating apples. Thanksgiving was right around the corner, and I wanted to try to be healthy for the few days leading up to the holiday.
I knew I was going to be traveling for Thanksgiving, so I also wanted to make sure I got plenty of vitamin C before getting on the plane.
Week 4
During the fourth week, I was in Arizona, visiting my grandparents for Thanksgiving. Although my apples helped me stay healthy during and after my flight, I was getting pretty sick of them.
Plus, there was so much other food during Thanksgiving that it was hard to remind myself to save room for an apple.
Final Days
The last few days of the experiment were really tough for me. I lost all motivation to eat my apples, and it ended up feeling like a chore.
When the final day rolled around, I couldn't wait to eat my last apple and move on.
Conclusion
Although I missed a few days (I'm only human!), I did try my very best to eat an apple every single day.
I may have gotten bored of eating the same fruit day after day, but it did actually seem to work.
I didn't get sick during my "apple a day" month, even when my boyfriend and friends came down with colds.
"Apple A Day" Review
Would I eat an apple a day again? I don't think it's practical to eat an apple every single day, but I'll definitely try to add more fruits to my diet.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Sure, especially if they're a big fan of apples. Other than getting bored of the fruit, there were no downsides to eating an apple a day.
If you're considering eating an apple a day to help your health, please SHARE this article with your friends!
