Apple a Day - true or false?
Asked by
Evan (
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December 1st, 2006
does anyone know if there have been "modern" attempts to show whether this adage has any "scientific" merit? thoughts..?
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14 Answers
Not that I don't think apples are good for you--they are, I think--but the origins of the proverb go back to a golden era of propaganda, or so I've heard. This was one of those brilliant ad campaigns of the early twentieth century that were so successful that they transcended advertisement to become common sense. Another one is spinach: marketed via popeye.
And don't forget the Marboro Man.
apparently, apples used to be associated only with hard cider, so when apple farmers wanted to promote apples for the table, they started this campaign. it's like the "got milk" ads.
you know.. I'd heard the same thing: that apples in America used to be used primarily for cider making - something like 90% of the apples grown in America were used for cider. I guess i just didn't realize that there was a conscious effort to change that via such a campaign. brilliant, really.
Nomtastic is right: The reason apples used to be the main source of domestic alcohol is that the east coast colonies didn't have the right climate to produce grapes for wine, or grains for beer. but the northeast had a ton of crab-apples, which are perfect for cider. Michael Pollan writes about this in his book The Botany of Desire. Well worth a read!
all I know is that an apple wakes me up in the morning, probably the sugars. and also it gets the bowels really moving if you eat one on an empty stomach.
mmmm fiber.
but probably any fruit/vegetable every day is a good idea. if an apple works for you, go for it, but i know dancers that eat a banana every day (good for muscles.)
"The Botany of Desire" by Michael Pollan has a whole chapter about apples and their transition from booze to healthfood.
Enthusiastically second the suggestion to read THE BOTANY OF DESIRE, and any other book of M. Pollan's, a prof. of journalism at Berkely and a writer for the NYT 'zine. If you lke to cook, eat, build, garden, or think or have cooks, eaters, builders, gardeners and thinkers in yr life, these are THE books.
Look like M. Pollan picked up on early 20th century apple & spinach growers' nack for viral advertising!
False, apples are a tool of the devil!
Good plan but “false” for me.
That makes no sense. An apple can’t compensate for abuses of the body, poor diet or many illnesses.
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