What are apple polyphenols? The term "apple polyphenols" refers to a range of polyphenols that are present in apples, particularly in the skins of unripe apples. The term "polyphenol" refers generally to compounds with bitter, astringent, and pigment components found in plants. Polyphenol is a product of photosynthesis in plants. There are allegedly more than 5,000 different types. One class of polyphenols includes the anthocyanins found in blueberries and the resveratrol found in grape seeds. The body is shielded against reactive oxygen species by the potent antioxidant properties of all polyphenols.
Proanthocyanidin, a water-soluble component with significant antioxidant capacity and a useful raw material for food and cosmetics, is the primary constituent of apple polyphenols. Apple polyphenols are effective at removing reactive oxygen species, assisting in blood circulation improvement, and lowering cholesterol. Additionally, it prevents weight loss, whitening, and foul breath.
Properties of Apple Polyphenols
Procyanidins, catechins, epicatechins, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and other polyphenols can be found in apples' polyphenols. Proanthocyanidins made up the biggest fraction of them, more than half. When the pulp is cut open, it will turn brown. This results from apple polyphenols turning brown when they come into touch with atmospheric oxygen. You can stop discoloration and the loss of apple polyphenols by soaking the chopped apples in salt water or sprinkling them with lemon juice. Apple polyphenols that have been bonded to oxygen are separated from oxygen by dipping the apples in lemon juice, which also returns the apples to their normal color. In general, we must peel apples before eating them, but due to the high concentration of polyphenols in apple skins, eating the peels along with the apple can increase the absorption of polyphenols.
Benefits of Apple Polyphenols
1. Apple polyphenols contain potent antioxidant properties that can shield the body from reactive oxygen species, delaying the onset of disease and slowing the aging process.
2. Apple polyphenols help prevent lipid oxidation and improve blood circulation.
3. Apple polyphenols have the ability to stop lipase activity in its tracks. Additionally, apple polyphenols can activate the enzyme that burns fat and inhibit the action of fatty acid synthase, which produces fat in the liver.
4. Apple polyphenols inhibit allergy-causing enzymes.
5. The methyl mercaptan increase is suppressed to less than half by apple polyphenols. So some individuals try to avoid bad breath by drinking apple juice that is 100 percent pure. Apple polyphenols can also prevent carious bacteria from producing plaque-forming enzymes at the same time.
Taking apple polyphenols before meals increase their effectiveness. On the one hand, it can suppress lipase's action and stop lipase from being absorbed in the small intestine. Pectin, a polysaccharide found in apples, functions as a dietary fiber in humans, inhibiting the absorption of fat and promoting the elimination of cholesterol.
