Diet Consume 3 Apples a Day, Healthy Solution or Just a Trend for a Moment?

JAKARTA – Diets with simple concepts often attract attention, one of which is the diet of eating 3 apples a day. Departing from the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, this diet claims that eating apples before meals can help lose weight and improve health.

Quoted from the Everyday Health website, according to Tammi Flynn, RD, a certified nutritionist and fitness trainer from the Wenatchee Racquet and Athletic Club, Washington, eating three apples a day is said to help lose weight.

Flynn mentioned his Get Lean Diet program, which requires eating one apple before every meal and exercising every day can help lose an average of about 7-8 kilograms in 12 weeks.

In his 2005 book, The 3-Apple-a-Day Plan: Your Foundation for Permanent Fat Loss, Flynn recommends eating one apple before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This diet also advocates calorie regulation and daily nutritional composition, namely about 40 percent carbohydrates, 40 percent protein, and 20 percent fat.

The main principle of this diet is to create a calorie deficit, which is a condition when the calorie intake is less than the calories burned through physical activity. Apples help provide a longer feeling of fullness thanks to their fiber and pectin content, while a sufficient protein intake also plays a role in holding down hunger.

Although low in fat, this diet is quite balanced because it includes various food groups. In addition, this diet also requires daily exercise which includes cardio, stretching, and weight training.

In this diet, recommended foods include a variety of balanced sources of nutrition, such as vegetables and fruits, eggs, and low-fat dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese.

The recommended source of carbohydrates comes from whole wheat, while protein can be obtained from nuts, legumes, lean meat, seafood, to protein drinks or protein shakes.

On the other hand, several types of food should be restricted, especially simple carbohydrates such as white flour and sugar, snacks and highly processed desserts, as well as high-fat foods such as butter, fatty meat, and fried foods.

Benefits of a 3 Apple a Day Diet

This diet encourages the consumption of fresh fruit and lean protein, as well as building the habit of regular exercise without the need for expensive supplements or special tools. Flynn claims that this diet helps reduce body fat while keeping cholesterol and blood sugar levels stable.

1. Helps Lose Weight

Apples contain fiber and polyphenols (antioxidant compounds) that can support the weight loss process. One medium-sized apple contains about 3.7 grams of fiber. By eating three apples a day, the body gets almost 12 grams of fiber, approaching half of the adult’s daily fiber needs.

Several studies have also shown that polyphenols in apples play a role in reducing visceral fat, which is fat around internal organs that is at risk for health.

2. Helps Lower Cholesterol

This diet is claimed to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol. The pectin content in apples is believed to help the body metabolize fat better, so it has a positive impact on cholesterol levels.

3. Helps Maintain Blood Sugar

The results of research related to the effects of apples on blood sugar are indeed diverse. However, several small studies show that eating apples before meals can help lower the blood sugar spike after eating, especially when combined with a high-protein diet.

Risks and Things to Consider

Although not as extreme as other popular diets, the 3 apple a day diet still has some potential drawbacks, including:

1. Minimal Direct Scientific Evidence

There is no specific research that proves that eating three apples a day directly causes weight loss.

2. Less Socially Flexible

Bringing an apple to a restaurant or social event can feel awkward for some people.

4. Full

Eating the same amount of apples every day for weeks can make you bored.

5. The risk of unhealthy eating patterns

For people who tend to be perfectionists, diets that focus too much on weight loss can trigger an overly restrictive eating pattern.

Compared to other trend diets, this diet is relatively mild and quite reasonable. Apples are healthy, rich in fiber, and beneficial to the body. However, eating apples before every meal will not give significant results if it is not accompanied by a balanced diet, adequate protein intake, and a calorie deficit.

Before starting any weight loss program, it is best to consult a doctor or nutritionist first to ensure that the method chosen is suitable for your body condition.

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