» Natural News » Diet

The polyphenols in apple peels can help protect your gut

An apple a day leads to a
healthier gut

Natural Health News — Scientists have found another good reason why “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, especially if you are suffering from gut disorders.

According to new research findings published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, the polyphenols found in apple peels can suppress T-cell activation to help prevent colitis.

T-cells are a type of white blood cell that play an important role in the immune system. However when T-cells are over activated it can lead to inflammation and autoimmune disorders.

The research was conducted using mice – and so needs to be confirmed in humans. However results showed that mice treated orally with apple polyphenols were protected from colitis and, crucially, that the antioxidants found in apple peels were able to suppress colonic inflammation by inhibiting inflammatory T-cells.

This study, say the scientists, is important because it is the first to show a link between T-cells, antioxidants and protection against an autoimmune disease. This could lead to a better understanding of how to treat people with disorders related to bowel inflammation, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

“Many people with colitis use some form of dietary supplement to complement conventional therapies, but most of the information on the health effects of complementary medicine remains anecdotal. Also, little is known about exactly how these therapies work” said researcher David W Pascual, PhD, from the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.

In an accompanying editorial, John Wherry, PhD, Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, said “It appears that the old adage rings true in more ways than one. In addition to the obvious health benefits of the nutrients and fiber in fruits and vegetables, this study indicates that even something as relatively common as the apple contains other healthy ingredients that can have serious therapeutic value.”