Superfood Spotlight: National Apple Month

Why The Amazing & Humble Apple is a Must-Have for Women With PCOS

by Belinda McCall, Founder of WomanBeeWell

Let's just get the eye-rolling out of the way, shall we? "An apple a day... " carries some serious truth and wisdom with it! Stick with me.

Apples are high in fiber, which makes them a great prebiotic food to support gut health. They are also high in water content, which is great for hydrating your entire body. Apples are one of the best foods to revamp what you consider to be "fast food" .

Due to the great fiber in apples, the body processes their sugars more slowly - making them a perfect snack to help you to make it over the midday slump. For my fellow PCOS cysters that start feeling groggy around 3pm, try eating a small apple around 2:30pm and see how you feel. It' s amazing how such a small action can have such a big impact on your energy levels.

REDUCE DIABETES RISK

Women with PCOS are 4x more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than women without PCOS. For this reason alone, I make apples a mandatory part of my daily intake.

Studies have shown that eating at least a few apples per week, or even every day, resulted in a 28% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

DID YOU KNOW...

There are about 7,500 varieties of apples in the entire world?

ANTIOXIDANT POWER!

Apples have high levels of polyphenols and other plant compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body. These components have been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease, asthma and pulmonary dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Superpowers!

VARIETIES ARE ENDLESS

You may be surprised to know that there are about 7,500 varieties of apples in the world. Of those, only 2,500 are grown in the United States, and 100 of those are commercially grown.

Even so, I' ve never seen 100 different kinds of apples in any grocery store! Some of my favorite types of apples are:

Apples for Snacking: Honey Crisp is my #1 pick for snacking! Slightly sweet, crisp, and refreshing. I also love Golden Delicious, Pink Lady (Cripps Pink), Gala, Jazz, and Fuji

Apples for Baking and Cooking: Granny Smiths are my go-to that's perfect for baking and cooking. Also try Gala, Jazz, and Fuji.

WHY TO GET THEM ORGANIC

Apples are frequently on the Dirty Dozen ™ list of foods that have a high pesticide contamination rate. To avoid ingesting potentially endocrine-disrupting pesticides, particularly important for women with PCOS and other endocrine-related issues, choose organic.