An Apple A Day
“An apple a day keeps….sorry, might….keep the doctor away”. So says a recent study published with many others, I sometimes think, to further confuse everyone. Everyone knows fruit is good for you, so it’s very reassuring that according to researchers in The Netherlands, eating lots of “white fruit”, that is apples, pears and bananas, can reduce your risk of suffering from a stroke by more than half. Reassuring that is until another study published this week in the British Medical Journal suggests that fruit is not the wonder food we all think. In their study into bowel cancer they found that although a diet rich in fibre was helpful at reducing the risk of the disease, it was only “high-fibre” foods that worked. Not our favourite fruits at all, but our old fashioned staple foods such as porridge, oats, and whole grain bread and rice. In fact for every 10gm of dietary fibre rich foods you eat you can reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer by a tenth.
So, given that we are all trying to control our calorie intake and we can’t just eat as anything we might like, do we have to make a choice between fruit or fibre? Between a risk of stroke or bowel cancer? Fortunately of course the answer is no. We can reduce our risk of both. As I’ve said so many times on this blog, a healthy lifestyle is one that is balanced. And a balanced diet, rich in dietary fibre foods like oats and wholegrain rice, and with healthy amounts of fruit is easily achievable.
Government advice is that we should eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. Of course I agree, but why stop at 5? If you are able to, enjoy even more. Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. A warming bowl of porridge with some added fruit makes a great start to anyone’s day. Fruit can be a healthy snack between meals, and wholegrain rice or pasta can help achieve a feeling of fullness as part of a light lunch or evening meal. And the net effect of such a healthy, micronutrient laden, fibre-rich diet will almost certainly be improved weight management. Which incidentally can also directly decrease you risk of stroke, bowel cancer and many other health problems.
So, do your best to keep the doctor away. Today, tomorrow and every day.
Dr Ian Campbell
An Apple A Day
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By Dr Ian Campbell January 2012
“An apple a day keeps….sorry, might….keep the doctor away”. So says a recent study published with many others, I sometimes think, to further confuse everyone. Everyone knows fruit is good for you, so it’s very reassuring that according to researchers in The Netherlands, eating lots of “white fruit”, that is apples, pears and bananas, can reduce your risk of suffering from a stroke by more than half. Reassuring that is until another study published this week in the British Medical Journal suggests that fruit is not the wonder food we all think. In their study into bowel cancer they found that although a diet rich in fibre was helpful at reducing the risk of the disease, it was only “high-fibre” foods that worked. Not our favourite fruits at all, but our old fashioned staple foods such as porridge, oats, and whole grain bread and rice. In fact for every 10gm of dietary fibre rich foods you eat you can reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer by a tenth.
So, given that we are all trying to control our calorie intake and we can’t just eat as anything we might like, do we have to make a choice between fruit or fibre? Between a risk of stroke or bowel cancer? Fortunately of course the answer is no. We can reduce our risk of both. As I’ve said so many times on this blog, a healthy lifestyle is one that is balanced. And a balanced diet, rich in dietary fibre foods like oats and wholegrain rice, and with healthy amounts of fruit is easily achievable.
Government advice is that we should eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. Of course I agree, but why stop at 5? If you are able to, enjoy even more. Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. A warming bowl of porridge with some added fruit makes a great start to anyone’s day. Fruit can be a healthy snack between meals, and wholegrain rice or pasta can help achieve a feeling of fullness as part of a light lunch or evening meal. And the net effect of such a healthy, micronutrient laden, fibre-rich diet will almost certainly be improved weight management. Which incidentally can also directly decrease you risk of stroke, bowel cancer and many other health problems.
So, do your best to keep the doctor away. Today, tomorrow and every day.
Tags: Food, Health