The effects and associations of whole-apple intake on diverse cardiovascular risk factors. A narrative review

Abstract

Apples are among the world’s most consumed fruits. However, while the impact of whole-apple intake on cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unknown. This narrative review summarizes a novel integrated view of whole-apple intake, CVD risk association (through observational studies; OSs), and the effects on CVD risk factors (randomized trials; RTs). In 8 OSs, whole-apple intake was associated with a reduced risk of CVD mortality, ischemic heart disease mortality, stroke mortality, all-cause mortality, and severe abdominal aortic calcification, as well as with lower C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. In 8 RTs, whole-apple consumption reduced total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and plasma inflammatory cytokines, and noticeably reduced CRP, whereas it increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) and improved endothelial function. Thus, consuming between 100 and 150 g/day of whole apples is associated with a lower CVD risk and decreases in blood pressure, pulse pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and inflammation status as well as with increases in HDLc and endothelial function. These results, support the regular consumption of whole apples as an aid in the prevention of CVD.

The AppleCOR Project (Subproject AGL2016-76943-C2-2-R and Subproject AGL2016-76943-C2-1-R) has been possible with the support of Ministerio de Economía, Indústria y Competitividad, the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); NFOC-Salut group is a consolidated research group of Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (2017 SGR 522).