A Pink Lady apple a day keeps the doctor away

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but that could depend on what kind of apple you’re eating. Researchers have found that certain types of apples provide greater health benefits than others, with the Pink Lady variety leading the pack.

Researcher Dr Michael Considine of the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA) and University of Western Australia (UWA) is working on ways to breed and commercialise apples with better health benefits.

He says the research results will lead to improved apple varieties and market awareness to drive apple consumption and improve Australia’s dietary health.

“Our initial research showed for the first time that apples can improve clinical indications of cardiovascular health, including blood pressure and its response to stress,” Dr Considine said.

“What’s more, it showed that a flavonoid-rich apple can provide greater health benefits and Western Australia’s Pink Lady variety is richer in these particular flavonoids than some other varieties.

“The initial project, funded by the department and the Australian Research Council, has led to new research on ways to breed and commercialise better flavonoid-rich apples.”

The current research project involves plant breeders and geneticists from DAFWA’s Australian National Apple Breeding Program and researchers from UWA’s Schools of Plant Biology and Medicine and Pharmacology.

“The new project will explore genetic variation and ways to speed up the breeding process by targeting certain traits, and an investigation of the appetite of local and export markets for a flavonoid-rich apple,” Dr Considine said.

The researchers have applied for additional funding from the Australian Research Council.