keeps the doctor away! Were you able to finish that line?!
Last year, researchers conducted a study and showed that this old saying may be more true than we realize. Using data from the Framingham Heart Study, the researchers looked at the association between flavonoid intake and frailty onset. Flavonoids are a dietary compound found in plant-based foods like apples and blackberries. What they found is that consumption of foods rich in flavonoids, quercetin in particular, could prevent frailty in older adults. The findings of this study suggest that for every 10 mg higher intake of flavanols per day, the amount found in a medium-sized apple, the odds of frailty are reduced by 20%.
Apples contain more nutrients than just quercetin; they are also good sources of fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C, especially when eaten with the peel on. Good news, apples are easy to find in Ohio, with around 50 different varieties grown in the state! Visit the Ohio Apples website to learn more about different varieties, locate sites where you can purchase or pick your own Ohio apples, and view additional apple-related recipes and activities. You can also use the OSU Extension Selecting, Storing and Serving Ohio Apples fact sheet to learn more about certain apple varieties and their recommended culinary uses.
Finally, consider taking part in the annual Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch! October is National Farm to School month, and in Ohio we celebrate with other Midwestern states by taking part in the annual Great Apple Crunch. The official crunch occurs on the second Thursday of October, but you can crunch at your convenience anytime this month. Register for the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch to receive an apple crunch guide and help Ohio reach its goal of at least 350,000 crunchers this year. You can register yourself, your family, a school or a worksite.
Happy crunching!
Written by Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County
Reviewed by Alexus Masterson, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Muskingum County
Sources:
Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research (2023). An Apple a Day Keeps Frailty at Bay: The Power of Quercetin Flavonol-Rich Foods. https://scitechdaily.com/an-apple-a-day-keeps-frailty-at-bay-the-power-of-quercetin-flavonol-rich-foods/
Williams, T., Shertzer, J. K. & Drake, B. H. (2021). Selecting, Storing and Serving Ohio Apples. OSU Extension. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-5507