“Can we pick apples, Grammy?” They beg. When my grandson’s apple reaches the heart, he carefully selects the seeds and puts them in his pocket for planting on his return home. I like this.

Besides being one of the most convenient and tasty snacks (and a good source of vitamin C), experts say there may be something in the old adage: “An apple a day. drives the doctor away.

Polish researchers observed that people who ate at least one apple a day had a lower risk of developing colon cancer than those who did not. They attributed this result to two possible reasons.

Apples are a rich source of phytochemicals – natural substances that include polyphenols and flavonoids. These herbal chemicals have the ability to fight the growth of cancer cells. Apples are also a good source of dietary fiber, another plant substance associated with a lower risk of colon cancer.

Other studies have noted how the phytochemicals in apples can help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Quercetin, a natural flavonoid in apples, may help reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. And a Cornell University research team has discovered other phytochemicals that may kill or slow the growth of at least three different types of human cancer cells: the colon, breast, and liver.