Fishers, N.Y. – Almost 50 million people learned about the cholesterol-lowering capabilities of New York’s top fruit, apples, on Feb. 17 from USA Weekend. The popular Sunday newspaper magazine partnered with the Emmy award-winning medical television show The Doctors to advise Americans on small steps to keep their cholesterol on track, including eating apples.
“They’re a source of soluble fiber, which helps reduce absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream,” The Doctors’ article in USA Weekend reported. The article also reported that a “small study of healthy, middle-aged adults has found that having one apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol” (that’s the type of “bad” cholesterol that hardens arteries). Per The Doctors authors, study participants who ate the fruit itself had better results than study participants who took capsules of polyphenols (an antioxidant found in apples).
“More than 40 million Americans have high cholesterol, including many New Yorkers, who could benefit from the cholesterol-reducing effects of eating apples grown right here in our home state,” said Linda Quinn, M.S., R.D, consulting dietitian to New York Apple Association (NYAA). “This is more proof that an apple a day may indeed keep the doctor away – in this case, the cardiologist!”
“Apples are New York state’s #1 fruit, so this is good news for New York residents and apple growers alike,” said NYAA President Jim Allen. “This one article will reach more people with this positive message about apples than we can reach with a year’s worth of advertising.”
USA Weekend magazine reaches 49.5 million readers weekly, via 22.6 million copies distributed in Sunday newspapers and online at www.usaweekend.com. The Doctors TV show features ER physician Dr. Travis Stork, OB/GYN Lisa Masterson, plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Drew Ordon and pediatrician Dr. Jim Sears.
View the USA Weekend article by The Doctors online at: http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20130215/HEALTH01/302150006/3-small-steps-get-keep-your-numbers-track?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage.
About New York Apple Association
A nonprofit agricultural trade association based in Fishers, N.Y., NYAA represents the state's commercial apple growers. The association supports profitable growing and marketing of New York apples through increasing demand for apples and apple products, representing the industry at state and federal levels, and serving as the primary information source on New York-apple related matters. For more information, visit www.nyapplecountry.com.
Source: New York Apple Association