Hi Everyone, I hope you’ve had a great start to the year! I’m delighted to be teaming up with British Apples on an exciting campaign called ‘Healthy Body.’

I guess the first question that springs to mind – what is a British apple? Well there are many varieties of British apples, the ones I am familiar with are Royal Gala, Russet and Cox. British apples are stocked by all good supermarkets but don’t forget to check out local farmers’ markets, greengrocers and farm shops too.

2022 has got off to a great start for me. I was feeling the effects of my first gym session for a little bit longer than usual but it was totally worth it. I’m now three weeks into a regular gym routine and we’re all eating normally again after a full festive hair let down. One of my favourite snacks are apples and they are the foundation to making sure I consume my 5 A day. They have tons of benefits so I thought I’d take this opportunity to give you a gentle reminder of them all.

No Myth

You’ve probably heard the saying about an apple a day keeping the doctor away? Well, the health benefits from apples are no myth! Research confirms that apples are full of nutrients, they’re low in calories and can be extremely beneficial for weight loss.

One medium apple (200 grams) offers the following nutrients:

• Calories: 104
• Carbs: 28 grams
• Fiber: 5 grams
• Vitamin C: 10% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Copper: 6% of the DV
• Potassium: 5% of the DV
• Vitamin K: 4% of the DV

Apples are also commonly used in recipes like jam, salads, oatmeal and smoothies. In fact, here’s a delicious smoothie recipe from an earlier blog post.

When I qualified to become a personal trainer, one of the things I remember learning about were the benefits of fruit, in particular apples. Did you know that eating an apple before a meal can aid weight loss? Sounds crazy but the apple helps to increase the overall fibre content of the meal. This means you feel full and satisfied for longer, preventing mindless snacking between meals. Lets face it, we’ve all been in and out of the cupboard and the fridge doing this.

Happy Apple Plan

Leading nutritionist Rob Hobson says “The ‘Happy Apple Plan’ is one of the best ways to help shift those extra pounds. Simply snacking on a British apple (as you’re preparing a meal), means you’ll also benefit from the apples’ healthy flavonoids and fibres that can help to burn belly fat and promote satiety.” Satiety is a sense of fullness after eating.

Please don’t be concerned about a sugar rush when you eat an apple before a meal. Although they taste sweet, apples actually release energy much more slowly than refined sugary treats. Read that word again, refined. This helps us to supply a more sustained level of energy, while not inducing energy slumps after eating.

You may have read that sometimes when your brain says you may be hungry, what you actually need is just a drink of water. Well, this is actually true. As apples are made up of 86% water, they keep us feeling fuller on fewer calories. Numerous studies have demonstrated that high water density foods are effective in helping weight loss.

Great For Your Gut

Growing old may make you wiser but there are certain things I’ve noticed about my body that are out of my control. One of those things is my gut health but there are foods out there that can help and guess what? Apples just happen to be one of those foods that are great for your gut.

Our diet has a significant impact on our gut microbiota and gut environment. Consuming an apple a day encourages the growth of more friendly bacteria in the large bowel, essential for maintaining a healthy gut. Apples also contribute to more regular bowel movements because they are a good source of fibre, which is key to supporting healthy digestion.

So there you go, apples have a load of benefits. Grab a British apple today! You can’t really go wrong with this tasty, versatile, and easily accessible fruit.

* Disclaimer: This was a collaborative post with British Apples. All words and opinions are my own.