An apple a day may actually keep the doctor away

London, August 31 (ANI): Having an apple every day is even more important for a healthy diet than previously thought, suggests a new study.

Researchers at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich discovered that the levels of a key antioxidant was previously underestimated in the properties of fruits such as apples, peaches and nectarines.

They said the content of super-chemical polyphenol in fruits is an important part of a healthy diet, and was up to five times higher than recorded in the past, reports the Telegraph.

Professor Fulgencio Saura-Calixto, who led the study, said: "These polyphenols are major constituents of the human diet with important health properties. To consider them in nutritional and epidemiological research may be useful for a better understanding of the effects of plant foods in health."

Dr Paul Kroon said: "In the human body these compounds will be fermented by bacteria in the colon, creating metabolites that may be beneficial, for example with antioxidant activity."

The study has been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. (ANI)