Can an Apple a Day Chase the Doctor Away? | Wonderopolis

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Shaye from WI. Shaye Wonders, “Does an apple a day really keep the doctors away?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Shaye!
You've probably heard many people say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But is it true? Do apples ward off doctors the way garlic wards off vampires?
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is an old English proverb that basically means that eating nutritious food will make you healthier. As a result, you won't need to go to the doctor very often.
The phrase can be traced back to 1866, when Notes and Queries magazine published the first-known example of the proverb: “Eat an apple on going to bed, And you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread."
By the turn of the 20th century, several variations of the rhyme circulated around England, including the now-popular “an apple a day keeps the doctor away."
So what was it about apples that the English thought was so healthy? As it turns out, the English of that time used the word "apple" to describe any round fruit that grew on a tree.
Essentially, they believed that eating fruit daily promoted good health. But is there any truth to it?
In fact, there is. Eating nutritious food helps keep you healthy. If you're looking for a nutritious food, apples are a good place to start. Research over the past few decades has shown that apples are indeed a very healthy snack.
Low in calories and sodium and having no fat and cholesterol, apples are sweet to eat and boast a wide variety of health benefits. Apples are good sources of vitamin A, which strengthens vision and bone development, and vitamin C, which boosts the immune system.
Studies have also shown that apples can help to reduce high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as lower the risk of cancer. Quercetin, a reddish pigment considered an antioxidant and found in apples, might protect against Alzheimer's disease and provide relief from allergies.
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Try It Out
Are you ready to get healthy? Check out the following activities with a friend or family member:
Many people don't enjoy going to the doctor. That's probably because they're usually not feeling well when they go. What other professionals do you not look forward to seeing? Would the dentist fall into that category? Make up your own unique saying that reflects your view of what you might be able to do to avoid the dentist. For example, brushing three times a day keeps the dentist away might make a good saying. What others can you come up with?
Ready to take some positive steps toward healthier eating? Talk with a close friend or family member for an honest assessment of habits that could be unhealthy. Do you eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day? Explore MyPlate.gov to find out. If your diet could improve, work together on a plan to ensure you're eating enough nutritious foods.
If you want to be as healthy as you can be, here are three additional healthy habits to develop as soon as possible: + Wash your hands regularly! If you wash your hands before and after meals, after using the bathroom, and after playing with other kids, you'll be a lot less likely to spread germs and catch a cold. + Get plenty of sleep every night! You may not like to go to bed too early, but sleep is very important. Getting enough rest allows you to think clearly and perform at your best all day long. + Exercise daily! Playing video games and watching television can be fun, but too much seat time can make you unhealthy. Try to get outside and engage in some type of physical activity every single day. You'll be surprised by how much better you feel!
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INITIATE_W0NDER 2.0
Mahmoud
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Jan 22, 2018
Hi, Mahmoud! Thanks for Wondering with us and sharing this information!
sariya
Nov 6, 2017
this wonder is the best website to come on and explore and enjoy being a wonderoplis member
HELLO
J
We're glad you enjoyed this Wonder, J! It is definitely awesome to eat healthy foods like apples! You may be interested in Wonder #1656, too! ??
Jul 26, 2016
An apple a day keeps your apple away
Jul 27, 2016
It definitely helps, Wonder Friend! Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis!
Gavin
Jul 14, 2016
Yep yep
Jul 14, 2016
Welcome, Gavin! Eating fruits and vegetables is very important to maintain a balanced diet. Eating an apple a day will definitely help! :)
Kaira.K.Desai
Nov 2, 2014
It is the best way to learn some thing........
Wonderopolis
Nov 3, 2014
Hi, Kaira! We're glad you enjoy WONDERing as much as we do! Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis! :)
Natalie
Jan 7, 2013
I think it is interesting that an apple a day really makes a difference.
Great post!
Wonderopolis
Jan 7, 2013
We LOVE WONDERing about ways to stay healthy and full of energy... and we're glad to hear that you enjoyed our Wonder, Natalie! Thanks for sharing your comment! :)
Bethany Rose
Dec 2, 2012
Although I don't have braces, I do have jaw problems, so I eat things like apples, carrots and cellery in bite-size pieces. If you like to add things to your apple, like peanut butter, you could also try honey or the honey nut flavor cream cheese. Both are really yummy!
Wonderopolis
Naya B
I've heard that so many times I MIGHT EVEN TRY It. Even though I have braces. ;)
Wonderopolis
Nov 18, 2012
We bet you, your orthodontist and your braces will appreciate if you cut up the apple first! Bite size pieces might help keep the doctor, and the orthodontist, away, Naya B! Thanks for WONDERing with us! :)
Julie
Jul 27, 2012
This article was intresting! :-) I never knew that apples keep away cancer. This reminds me when my grandpa had skin cancer. He was lucky he is still alive. I love this wonder. :lol:
:-)
;-)
:mad:
:-(
:D
:lol:
Wonderopolis
Jul 28, 2012
Wow Julie, thank you for sharing with us! We are so happy to hear your grandpa is doing well. We think it's WONDERful to eat fruits and vegetables to keep us healthy and strong! Have a WONDERful and exciting day! :)
luke
May 11, 2012
I love this site. It teaches me a lot.
Thank you for this site.
Wonderopolis
May 11, 2012
We're glad you like hanging out in Wonderopolis and learning new things with us, Luke! Thanks for letting us know! Have a WONDERful day! :-)
Aakash
May 10, 2012
This is a good site to find out school info, like for homework! I like this site!
Wonderopolis
May 11, 2012
We're so happy to hear that you like visiting Wonderopolis and learning new things, Aakash! We do, too! :-)
AnneTEAM
May 2, 2012
After I read that apples help keep away cancer, alzheimer's and more, I started eating an apple! My friend has cancer. It would make my day if you did a wonder about surfing!!!
Wonderopolis
May 2, 2012
Hello, Anne! We're super sorry to hear that your friend has cancer. We know you have a big, caring heart, and we're certain your friend appreciates that about you just like we do! We think a future Wonder about surfing is a GREAT idea! Thank you for suggesting it! :-)
Team McNeil 8
Apr 23, 2012
I leaned lots of things about apples today! For example, now I know that eating apples can help lower high blood pressure and the chance of heart disease. Apples may provide protection against Alzheimer’s disease and provide relief from allergies. Two new words learned about were Quercetin, a reddish pigment considered an antioxidant and found in apples and significant which means a lot of something. Which is healthier an apple or an orange? Is it possible to avoid checkups at all costs if you are really healthy? I hope you enjoyed my response!
Wonderopolis
Apr 24, 2012
Thanks for leaving us this GREAT comment, Team McNeil 8! You sure did learn a LOT of interesting things about apples! We're glad you've got two new vocab words you can use now! We're not sure which fruit is healthier for you, an apple or an orange. They both have vitamins and nutrients your body needs, so we think they both ROCK! Even if you're really healthy, it's always a super idea to visit the doctor for a check up! :-)
I live where there's lots of apples. Can you guess in what state I live?
Wonderopolis
Feb 27, 2012
Hmmm...that's a tough one, Wonder! Do you live in Michigan? Washington? California? :-)
Nya13
Feb 5, 2012
Is that you Maneeth?!? Cool, someone I know commented. Oh, p.s., it's Nya.
Wonderopolis
Feb 6, 2012
Hi, Nya! Thanks so much for hanging out in Wonderopolis and visiting this Wonder of the Day®! We think it's super cool that you and Maneeth are friends! :-)
maneeth
Feb 5, 2012
I thought that sweet things are extra foods. Why is an apple not extra food?
Wonderopolis
Feb 5, 2012
Hi, Maneeth! That's a great question! Apples are naturally sweet, meaning they don't contain refined sugars like a lot of processed sweets (cookies, candy, etc.). Apples also contain fiber and are low in calories. Plus, they have vitamins your body needs to help you grow up healthy and strong! :-)
audrey
Feb 4, 2012
Hello, I love Wonderopolis! So does my teacher! She made homework for us and we have to use wonderopolis. That's how much my teacher loves it. I have a ? What is your favorite wonder? You can only write one.
Wonderopolis
Feb 4, 2012
We don't think we can pick ONE favorite Wonder of the Day®, Audrey! That would be too hard because we love them ALL! Please tell your teacher that we think she's WONDERful for encouraging you and your classmates to explore Wonderopolis! :-)
kristin
Jan 31, 2012
Hi, wonderopolis! I LOVE apples! My favorite kinds are honey crisp, and granny smith. I eat apples almost every day! I am glad that apples are so healthy and nutritious!
Wonderopolis
Feb 1, 2012
We think it's AWESOME that you love apples so much, Kristin! We love them, too! Thank you for sharing your favorite varieties with us today...we bet you have inspired other Wonder Friends to try a healthy apple as a snack today! :-)
Present
Nov 10, 2011
Why did Wonderopolis start (I mean why did you put it up)? Why doesn't copper stick to a magnet? Who invented Wonderopolis?
Wonderopolis
Nov 11, 2011
Those are all GREAT questions, Present! Wonderopolis was created to be a place where all kinds of Wonder Friends (students, parents, teachers, grandparents) could learn cool new things together every day! We hope you enjoy visiting! :-)
Lilly
Oct 19, 2011
This was a very interesting article, Wonderopolis! I think this story has given me a lot of great things to think about, like when I should eat "super foods." I think I am going to try to eat at least one apple a day. I think that a food with that much vitamin A and numerous heath benefits protecting me from life threatening diseases, such as heart disease and Alzheimer's, will be able to get me ready for my seasons of basketball and soccer.
Also, in your passage, you said that apples are very healthy, what about caramel covered apples? Are they healthy for you? If not, I was going to stick with plain apples anyway, but every once in a while, I might want to have a caramel apple. So, are caramel apples as healthy as normal apples? Thanks, Wonderopolis!
Wonderopolis
Oct 20, 2011
Wow, Lilly! You did a bunch of extra WONDERing about this Wonder of the Day®! We LOVE that! We're glad you are going to eat healthy foods like apples to get you in tip-top shape for your basketball and soccer seasons! Although eating a caramel apple is probably more healthy than eating a bunch of sweet, sticky caramel by itself, a caramel apple isn't as good for you as eating a plain apple or two. It's OK to enjoy a caramel apple every once in a while as a special treat, though! :-)
Zaid Al-ruwaishan
Oct 19, 2011
I think that if you do eat an apple a day then it will most likely keep the doctor away. Apples are fruit, fruits are healthy, healthy foods are the greatest fuels for your body.
Wonderopolis
Oct 19, 2011
Healthy foods ARE great fuels for the body, Zaid! Thank you so much for leaving us this comment today! :-)
Macie
Oct 6, 2011
Hi, wonderopolis. I love your website! I really love to learn new things. I was wondering how come you can eat the skin on an apple but you can't on an orange or a banana? I was also wondering how can dogs get really sick if they eat a grape?
Thank you,
Macie
Wonderopolis
Oct 7, 2011
Your questions are really SUPER ideas for future Wonders of the Day®, Macie! Thank you for sharing them with us and also for telling us how much you like learning and visiting Wonderopolis! :-)
J.O.
Oct 6, 2011
Wowzers! I loved this wonder! Apples are some of my favorite foods! I think tomorrow's wonder will be about the World Record book! Hey, I have a question...whoever is behind that user name of "Wonderopolis"?
Have fun figuring it out! -Your Wonder Friend, J.O. :D
Wonderopolis
Oct 6, 2011
There are LOTS of cool people who work in Wonderopolis, J.O! We all LOVE reading comments from our Wonder Friends and writing back! :-)
luca
Oct 5, 2011
In Italy we have the same proverb:
una mela al giorno
toglie il medico di torno
Wonderopolis
Oct 6, 2011
Thanks for sharing this with everyone in Wonderopolis today, Luca! We LOVE learning new things, too, and think it's AWESOME that you have the same type of saying in Italy! :-)
Kelsey Cooper the beach
Oct 5, 2011
I think apples are really healthy. My favorite kind are Honey Crisp Apples. I wish I could eat apples everyday.
Wonderopolis
Oct 6, 2011
Mmmmmm! Honey Crisp apples are so sweet and healthy for us...we like them too, Kelsey! We think it would be neat to try to eat a different type of apple every day for a whole week! :-)
hockey2399
Oct 5, 2011
I mean who created Wonderopolis?
Wonderopolis
Oct 6, 2011
Hi there, hockey2399! As you know, Wonderopolis is an awesome place where lots of different people come to learn, share, play and grow! If we give away all of our behind-the-scenes secrets, it will take the WONDER out of Wonderopolis for a lot of our friends! Thank you for leaving us this comment today! :-)
Wonderopolis
Hi, Angel! Horses LOVE apples and carrots! You can visit horses at a local farm or petting zoo. Make sure your parents or other grown-ups are with you when you feed the horses. Horses are big creatures and we want you to stay safe! :-)
Yesterday was your birthday, is that right?
So I will say a song.
Wonderopolis it's your birthday, it's your birthday come on join the fun. Wonderopolis, do you have a questions for me? I am seven years old . I live in Ohio. I am a brownie.
How was Wonderopolis started? Are you going to write a Halloween question for Wonderopolis?
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
Thank you so much for the great song, Allison! Yes, Wonderopolis turned 1 year old yesterday! That's pretty neat, isn't it? We started with our first Wonder of the Day® about flamingos, and now we have over 365 different Wonders to explore!
We like learning about our Wonder Friends, so thank you for sharing a little about yourself! Oh, and YES, we will have some Halloween Wonders coming up...check back every day to see when we'll surprise you with one! :-)
hockey2399
Oct 5, 2011
How did Wonderopolis start?
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
Hi, hockey2399! Wonderopolis started on October 4, 2010, with Wonder of the Day® #1 - WHY ARE FLAMINGOS PINK? Have you ever WONDERed why flamingos are pink? Visit our very first Wonder for the answer! https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/pink-flamingos/
Thanks for hanging out in Wonderopolis today! :-)
Meredith
Oct 5, 2011
Hi Wonderopolis! This is Meredith. Since I'm not in Mrs. C's class, anymore, I just said Meredith. I thought it was very interesting that people from the 1800's used a variation of that phrase. I think that tomorrow's Wonder is about the Guinness Book of World Records. :)
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
Hi, Meredith! It's so GREAT to hear from you! We hope you are enjoying 6th grade! Thank you for sharing what you think tomorrow's Wonder will be about. You are pretty smart about using the clues at the end of each Wonder...be sure to check back tomorrow to see if you were RIGHT! :-)
Mrs. Martin - Bowman Primary
Oct 5, 2011
Wow, Mrs. Martins Class has fun with
Wonderopolis can a apple a day keep the
doctor away?
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
We're glad you had fun visiting today's Wonder of the Day®, Mrs. Martin – Bowman Primary! Thank you so much for letting us know by leaving us this super comment! :-)
Elango
Wonderopolis
That is AWESOME to hear, Elango! Be sure to check back next Wednesday for another HAPPY HEALTHY HABITS Wonder of the Day®! :-)
Cora and Mrs. Lewis’ third gra...
Oct 5, 2011
This article was really interesting. I'm wondering if a human could live on apples and water alone.
I'm also wondering how many apples grow on an average apple tree.
Finally, I'm wondering what makes some apples red.
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
Those are GREAT questions, Cora and Mrs. Lewis’ third grade! We're glad that exploring today's Wonder of the Day® made you WONDER even more about apples! Thank you for leaving us this comment and for giving us awesome ideas for future Wonders of the Day! :-)
Mrs. Johnson's third grade
Oct 5, 2011
Dear Wonderopolis,
Once again, we learned a lot from your article. We took a poll in our class to see who liked the different super foods. Most of us like yogurt, oranges, turkey, and oatmeal. Many of us do not like salmon. Mrs. Johnson is going to bring in some spinach because some of us don't know what fresh spinach tastes like.
Jake wants to know why apples aren't called "red" when an orange is called "orange." Do you know?
Thanks!
Mrs. Johnson's third grade
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
WOW, Mrs. Johnson’s third grade! You guys are AWESOME for exploring the super foods you learned about in today's Wonder! Let us know how you like the fresh spinach...it is really healthy for you!
Also, please tell Jake that other Wonder Friends have also been WONDERing about the names of colorful fruits! Be sure to keep visiting Wonderopolis in the upcoming months and be on the lookout for a Wonder that might just answer his question! :-)
Kerrick Elementary School
Oct 5, 2011
The video was very interesting. We like that apples are healthy for us and the baby was cute. We didn't know that babies can eat apples by themselves- that baby was really good at it.
We made connections to eating healthy. If a person with asthma eats an apple, they will be healthier. We didn't know that the term "apple" in the old saying was really any round fruit that grew from a tree. How interesting! Thanks for the great wonder. Don't forget to eat an apple today! :)
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
We won't, Kerrick Elementary School! We have already eaten a Granny Smith apple today! We love eating healthy snacks, and we know you do, too! :-)
2nd Graders
Oct 5, 2011
If you eat an apple a day it will keep you healthy.
You stay healthy because the apple is a fruit, and fruits are good for you.
Apples won't give you cavities.
An apple is good for your body so you won't get sick.
An apple keeps you strong.
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
Thank you for sharing all the great things you learned today by exploring Wonder of the Day® #367, 2nd Graders! We love to eat apples! Do you? What are your favorite kinds of fruit? :-)
Andrew the beach
Oct 5, 2011
Dear Wonderopolis
I think that was talented, because the little
baby eats an apple super fast for a baby!!!
That was very skilled for a humongous apple!!!
We wish we could eat that fast like that baby
so we won't be super duper hungry. That was
very awesome and cool! I predict tomorrow
will be about the world's olympics.
Thank you for the video, wonderopolis!!!!!!!!!
Apple, doctor, eating, exercise, food, habit,
health, nutrition and super!!!!!!!!
Wonderopolis
Oct 5, 2011
Thanks for this SUPER comment, Andrew! We think we might eat an apple today, how about you? :-)
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