You may have heard of the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This is because of the amount of pectin found in apples. Pectin is known as a type of fiber, a complex carbohydrate that is needed by our body.
Pectin is not solely found in apples, it can be found in other fruits and vegetables as well. In apples, the pectin is usually found on its skin and its pulp. This explains why you should not always remove the skin of apples.
Now that you know what pectin is, you want to know what else it can do. Here are some of the benefits that you can receive with pectin:
Top 10 Health Benefits of Apple Pectin
1. Regulate the digestive system
There are a lot of benefits that apple pectin can give. Its high fiber content can help aid the digestive system in removing the toxins inside the body.
At the same time, it helps absorb the nutrients from food better so that the body is more nourished. It can also helps the body cope with some problems.
- If you are suffering from diarrhea, this can be highly effective in firming your stools.
- Lessen the effects and symptoms of having Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS.
- Remove the inflammation that may be related to other digestive problems and diseases.
2. Prevent various diseases
Apple pectin can give a large amount of soluble fiber that the body needs, you can expect that you will be less prone to cardiovascular diseases. You can expect the following:
- You will have lower cholesterol levels.
- Your heart health will improve tremendously.
- The intestines will not take in too much cholesterol so that your body will not get fully affected by too much cholesterol.
3. Prevent the onset of Cancer
One of the deadliest diseases that people would not like to get right now is Cancer. Although there are some known cures for Cancer, these cures are not 100% effective. There are also some people who develop different conditions because of taking some treatments for the disease. It has been said that the intake of pectin can help stop the growth of cancer.
- Pectin specifically blocks the possibility of cancer cells to spread in different parts of the body.
- It stops Galactin 3 to prevent cancer growth and makes the process slower.
- It has been said that pectin is most effective in fighting certain types of cancer. These types are the following: prostate, lung and colon cancer.
4. Give the adequate protection needed against Metabolic Syndrome
There are a lot of people who are currently suffering from weight gain and a wide variety of diseases that are connected to their weight gain.
Being obese can result in higher blood sugar and higher levels of cholesterol that can lead to heart diseases and stroke. The regular intake of pectin can help promote effective weight loss.
- Just make sure that aside from consuming enough pectin, a healthier lifestyle is recommended too.
- Try being more active especially if you are usually in front of your computer for hours.
- Try to take in pectin the most natural way which is by eating apples and other fruits and vegetables that have high pectin content.
5. Improve intestinal health
Do you know that your intestines can play a huge role in your current health? The intestinal tract has good and bad bacteria, and it can be a problem if there are more bad bacteria compared to the good bacteria.
Remember that the good bacteria’s job is to absorb nutrients and at the same time, keep the bad bacteria away. If you would like to improve your intestinal health, the best way to do this is by taking in the right amount of pectin every day.
6. Remove the toxins inside your body
Do you know why you sometimes feel sluggish and you are unable to continue with your tasks? It is because of the toxins that are in your system. To get rid of these toxins efficiently, you can take enough pectin every day. It will improve your digestive system and will get rid of more toxins faster than before.
7. It can help you when you are constipated
If you would like to lessen your problems with constipation, taking enough pectin can be highly useful for you. Pectin can work both ways.
It can loosen your stools when you are suffering from constipation and make them firmer when you are suffering from diarrhea. If you are constipated, and you are having trouble passing bowels, taking pectin is one of the best options to try.
- Remember that when you take apple pectin, you are supposed to take fluids as well.
- If you are not sure if you are recommended to take pectin, you may ask your physician about it first just to be sure.
- You also have to be extra careful when taking the right amount of pectin because if you take too much, this can make the absorption of certain medications slower.
8. Apple Pectin is a good source of Vitamin C
Do you realize that you are deficient in certain types of vitamins? The body needs different vitamins to stay healthy, but most of the time, people do not eat the right food products that can supply them with the nutrients that they need.
If you suspect that you lack Vitamin C, taking apple pectin can help solve this problem. Studies show that apple pectin contains 96% of the needed Vitamin C of the body.
9. Remove certain types of metals from the body
Some Chernobyl victims are in dire need of removing the radioactive waste that they have become exposed to. According to some studies, the exposure to apple pectin mixed in with citrus has allowed the removal of metals successfully.
More people should be aware of this type of detoxification process especially if they would benefit from it.
10. Protect sores from getting infected
You may get sores on different parts of your body because of different reasons. You may acquire sores because of certain medical conditions.
At times, the sores may have been inflicted on you, or you became clumsy and acquired some wounds in the place. Sores can get worse if they get infected. To avoid doing this, you can apply apple pectin to the wound. This is most effective in getting rid of mouth sores.
Some Side Effects to Expect
Taking apple pectin may be good for you, but there are some side effects that you may experience such as the following:
- Stomach Gas – This can become uncomfortable if you have too much gas.
- Diarrhea – If you do not take the right amount of pectin, it might make your current digestive condition worse.
There are also instances when people assume that they have to take apple pectin to cure their chronic digestive issues, but this is not always the case. If in case you have a condition that you want to cure soon, you should consult your doctor first so you will be given proper advice on whether taking pectin will be useful for your condition or not.
You cannot combine apple pectin if you are taking these medications:
- Antibiotics – the number of antibiotics that will be taken in by the body will be lessened greatly, and it might prove to be ineffective.
- Mevacor – The intake of pectin can also affect how effective Mevacor is going to be. If you are not familiar with this, Mevacor is what you take if you want to lower your blood cholesterol.
- Digoxin – This is a fiber supplement that may not be fully absorbed by the body when pectin is also taken in. It is always advisable that instead of mixing different medications, allot a few hours before taking the next one.
A tip to remember: For those who are working in factories that work with apple pectin, the effect of apple pectin dust is different from apple pectin itself. Those who are exposed to it may experience some discomfort. There are some who become exposed to apple pectin dust for a long period of time and they start to develop asthma afterward. Do not let this happen to you by protecting yourself often.
Other Sources of Pectin
It is rare to find people who dislike eating apples. There are also some who cannot take apples even if they want to because their bodies do not match up with some of the components of apples. If this is the case, there are other sources of pectin available such as the following:
- Acacia Fiber
Purchasing the Right Type of Pectin
You have to know before searching for apple pectin that there are different types of pectin available. The most common type is the one that you can purchase to make jam. This is not your intention. You are searching for pectin that will give you medicinal benefits so where are you supposed to buy the right type of pectin?
At this point, you may be curious about creating your pectin. This is okay if you are aware of the things that you should do but if not, there is a chance that you will place the wrong amount of ingredients and make the whole process unsuccessful. When purchasing the right type of pectin, you may do the following:
- Read reviews and recommendations about where people usually purchase their pectin.
- The more natural the pectin is, the better it would be.
- Check out different companies that offer apple pectin first. This is better than purchasing from the very first company that you see.
How To find the right pectin
- What is the pack of pectin that you are going to purchase? The amount that you are going to purchase highly depends on how much you need. A lot of stores offer both small and large packs to accommodate your requirements.
- Will the pectin that you will purchase last for a long time? Some packed pectin is meant to be stored only for a short amount of time. You have to know how long you will store the pectin so you can buy the right one for you.
- Where is the pectin placed? For your convenience, the pectin that you are going to purchase should be placed in individual sachets that you can easily use whenever you need to.
- Consider the process that the pectin goes through before being packed. To be ensured of the quality of the pectin you are going to purchase, look for ones that go through a 6 step process. This will ensure that the pectin has high absorption properties which can be beneficial to you.
- Consider the taste of the pectin if you are going to buy in supplement form. Most pectin supplements do not taste good but there are some that come with great taste. You may research this or ask other people who are also taking apple pectin so they can give you other recommendations.
With all of the things that you have learned about apple pectin, do you think you are ready to search for the right one that you are going to consume every day? Remember to consider quality when purchasing and flavor too if you are going to take it orally.