New research shows that for women who eat apples, there might be more to that old adage about the forbidden fruit's health effects than previously thought. According to a recent study in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, women who consume apples on a regular basis tend to experience greater overall sexual function, reporting higher levels of arousal and satisfaction. 
 
 Researchers analyzed the apple-eating habits of 731 sexually active Italian women over the course of seven months, polling participants between the ages of 18 and 43 with no history of sexual dysfunction. The women were classified into two groups -- those who ate one to two apples daily and those who ate none -- and asked to fill out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), which includes more than a dozen questions regarding desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. All in all, Group A (the apple-eaters) totaled higher FSFI scores than their non-apple-eating counterparts, indicating increased lubrication and general sexual function. 
 
 The researchers are quick to point out that while their results are "intriguing," they should be taken with caution. The study's small sample size makes it difficult to categorize too broadly, although the positive correlation between apples and better sex they found seems to speak for itself. Possible explanations for the link include the multiple antioxidants and other pharmacologically active substances (like phytoestrogens and polyphenols) present in apples, which have been associated with positive sexual effects before. The fruit shows similar sexual benefits as red wine and chocolate, but with other added health effects as well. 
 
 It's also possible that the sexual health benefits come more from apple peels -- which have high concentrations of helpful phenolic compound -- than from the apples themselves. This study included only women who did not peel their apples before eating them, but the researchers speculate that it "might be interesting to evaluate" whether apple peels play a more specific role in female sexuality. We'll wait for that future study -- while snacking on some unpeeled apples. 
 
 (h/t Huffington Post) ||||| It's been said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but new research suggests it can do a lot more than that. 
 
 A new study published in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics suggests that eating more apples leads to better sex for women. 
 
 Researchers analyzed 731 sexually active Italian women aged 18 to 43 with no history or complaint of sexual disorder. Women taking prescription drugs or suffering from depression were excluded from the study as well. 
 
 Participants were separated into two groups: regular apple consumption (one to two apples a day) and no apple consumption (0 to 0.5 apples per day). The women then filled out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), which is comprised of 19 questions about sexual function, sexual frequency, orgasm, lubrication and overall sexual satisfaction. 
 
 Researchers found that "daily apple use is associated with higher FSFI scores in sexually active female patients, thus increasing their lubrication and overall sexual function." 
 
 So why apples? 
 
 The researchers hypothesize that apples may improve sexual function because, like red wine and chocolate, they contain polyphenols and antioxidants that can stimulate blood flow to the genitalia and vagina, thus helping with arousal. 
 
 Not only that, researchers says apples contain phloridzin, a common phytoestrogen that is structurally similar to estradiol -- a female sex hormone -- and plays a huge role in vaginal lubrication and female sexuality. 
 
 Of course, the study has its limitations. It's a relatively small sample size and it's difficult to separate correlation from causation. However, the researchers note the results are "intriguing," to say the least. 
 
 Now excuse us while we go eat some apples. 
 
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 Even if some evidence exists of a positive correlation between regular intake of phytoestrogens, polyphenols, antioxidants and women's sexual health, there is not a study addressing the potential correlation between daily apple consumption and women's sexual function. We aim to assess whether there is a tie between daily apple intake and sexual function in a sample of healthy young sexually active Italian women, not complaining of any sexual disorders. 
 
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: 
 
 Seven hundred and thirty-one women (mean age 31.9, range 18-43) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study (from September 2011 to April 2012). All participants completed anonymously the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and were asked to report on their amount of daily apple consumption and their eating habits. On the basis of apple consumption all women were split into two groups: Group A--regular daily apple consumption, Group B--no regular apple consumption (<1 apple/day). The main outcome measure was the FSFI questionnaire result. 
 
 RESULTS: 
 
 Three hundred and forty-three women reported a regular daily apple intake and were classified in Group A, while 388 were included in Group B. Group A had a significantly higher total (p = 0.001; Cohen's d = 3.39) and lubrication domain (p = 0.001; Cohen's d = 3.02) FSFI scores than participants in Group B. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that daily apple intake must be considered as an independent parameter (p = 0.002) in predicting a better score at questionnaire examination. 
 
 DISCUSSION:
– Eating the forbidden fruit of an apple tree may be even racier than the Bible says. Women who eat one to two apples a day experience a better sexual quality of life than women classified as having "no regular apple consumption," according to a new study in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Scientists followed 781 Italian women aged 18 to 43 with no history of sexual disorder and who were not taking prescription meds or suffering from depression, and learned that those who eat apples regularly had better "lubrication and overall sexual function." The researchers didn't establish causation—it's possible, for instance, that women who eat more apples are healthier overall, which contributes to better sexual function. But, like chocolate and red wine, apples contain polyphenols and antioxidants, which can increase blood flow to the genitalia, as well as phloridzin, a type of estrogen similar to the female sex hormone estradiol that improves vaginal lubrication, reports the Huffington Post. Some of these benefits may lie only in the peel of the apple, and researchers say it "might be interesting to evaluate" what role apple peels play in female sexuality, reports Salon. (Click to read about another unusual sex-related study.)