There is a widely circulated Western proverb: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” A recent study published in an international journal shows that this ancient formula has been updated. Eating apples 3 to 6 times a week can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and cardiovascular problems, and the all-cause mortality rate can be reduced by nearly 40%. Another common fruit in Taiwan can also significantly reduce the risk of premature death and prolong life.

According to reports from the British Daily Mail and the American New York Post this week, this research report, published in the 11th volume of Frontiers in Nutrition in 2024, is a follow-up study conducted by researchers from the First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University in Jingzhou City, Hubei Province, China, Dalian Medical University in Liaoning Province, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University.

The study tracked 2,480 middle-aged men and women with high blood pressure, with a male-female ratio of 44.5% and a female-female ratio of 55.5%. The subjects included Mexican Americans, Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites, African Americans and other races. 45.4% had a high school education or above. During the 10-year follow-up period, 658 deaths from various causes were recorded between 2003 and 2006. The frequency of participants’ intake of apples, bananas, pears, pineapples, and grapes was divided into less than once a month, 1 to 3 times a month, 1 to 2 times a week, 3 to 6 times a week, and once a day or more.

Researchers found that compared with those who did not eat apples or ate less than one apple per month, those who ate apples three to six times a week had a 39% lower all-cause mortality rate. In addition to apples, bananas also had the same benefits, reducing the risk of premature death by about 30%. Eating bananas three to six times a week can reduce the risk of premature death by nearly 50%.

The research report pointed out that eating apples or bananas 3 to 6 times a week can significantly improve the 10-year survival rate of patients with dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), and the effect is better if both apples and bananas are eaten. However, if the frequency of intake is higher than this number, there is no significant additional benefit. In addition to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and other diseases, it also helps to deal with obesity and is beneficial to mental health.

This study emphasizes that a diet based on fruits, especially those containing apples, bananas, pears and grapes, is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and potassium, and has a positive impact on human health due to its high nutritional content. Fruit intake plays an important role in the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure. However, the world has not yet reached a consensus on the optimal amount of fruit intake, and there are differences in nutritional guidelines in different countries. For example, the World Health Organization recommends eating 5 servings of fruit per day, the US Dietary Guidelines recommend at least 2 servings per day, and the Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend 2.5 to 4.5 servings per day.