The extraordinary of the “whole”

Take an apple for example. It’s an extraordinarily complex packet of information.

It contains around 25gr of carbs (of which 19gr of natural sugar), of t 1gr of protein, 3gr of fiber which serves to slow the release of those sugars so that you don’t have a spike in blood glucose. It is then fermented by the microbiome of your gut to produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate that research has shown to prevent cancer and bowel disease. An apple also contains plenty of phytochemicals mostly in the skin such as quercetin (an antihistamine that lowers cholesterol), epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, and anthocyanin that are biologically beneficial to prevent several chronic diseases (cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease). Most of them can also regulate genetic expression. An apple contains also vitamin C which is An essential antioxidant.

But if you don’t eat a whole apple you lose most of the apple benefits. Few examples.

Cutting out the skin removes most of its fiber content. In this way, your blood sugar level will rise and then crashes quickly. You will also lose the majority of the phytochemicals fermented by the microbiome and consequently also the production of short-chain fatty acids. Drying the apple concentrates the sugar content and destroys most of vitamin C. Juicing the apple also concentrates the sugar and removes fiber and most of its phytochemicals.

This is why I recommend whole raw food: it ensures you get a balance of synergistic nutrients that combined benefit all the systems of your body.

SOURCE: Dr Kara Fitzgerald in “Younger You”