SUPERFOODS? I’ve known about them for the last 35 years. What may not be obvious is that raw fruit and vegetables, healthy nuts, seeds and rolled oats, are also superfoods. But I do have a favourite … it’s the humble apple.

I found out its supreme benefits when it helped me last month, through 3 awful days of persistent nausea. Yes, I contracted Covid-19 for the first time. All I could keep down was intermittent sips of hot water steeped with ginger, 5mls of Arborvitae, and slivers of Granny Smith apples topped with lemon juice. I didn’t need to pop electrolyte medallions in water to keep hydrated or alive!  

Apples aid digestion and eliminate body toxins – and my goal was to eliminate the toxic virus!  

Slowly but surely, my homemade medley worked. By Day 4, I was devouring my first slice of sourdough toasted with cheese, and made a steady recovery from then on. I was back to normal in 3 weeks.  

It’s so disappointing that apples are not promoted in the same way as the star kakadu plum, kombucha, acai, or pomegranate. Obviously, there’s more money bottling the exotic rather than the ordinary – and at inflated prices too, I might add.  

Apples are also a great source of FIBRE. I only discovered how effective they were in keeping me ‘regular’ 3 years ago. My curiosity about colonics got the better of me, and I met Anna Paredes at the Colon Care Centre in Sydney. Anna has been practising as a Colon Hydrotherapist and Nutritionist for the past 25 years. During the procedure, she gave me an abdominal massage and detected gas pockets. She asked if I was taking the much-acclaimed psyllium husks. 

“Yes, I always add a tablespoon with my rolled oats.”

“Try an apple instead!”

“Really? Will that keep me regular?” (I had been guilty of avoiding apples in my lunch pack). 

“Have a large Granny Smith in the middle of the day, at least 3 hours after food and half an hour before. Don’t forget to drink your daily 2.5 to 3 litres of water. If you don’t believe me, just try it for a week!” 

It made sense. The Granny Smith’s cleansing effect and nutrients work best when the colon is sufficiently hydrated (it also has less sugar than red apples). It did what Anna told me, and I had no more gas pockets. 

Apart from fibre, apples have a low GI, are high in antioxidants, lower bad LDL cholesterol and raise good HDL cholesterol. They are rich in enzymes, electrolytes, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B and C, phytonutrients, carotenoids, amino acids, flavonoids, amino-acids, and have anti-inflammatory properties. You get gut health for less than 70c a day!

While each superfood has unique benefits and is valuable for good health, I chose the apple because of its unique properties of enzymes and electrolytes. Also remember to have less fats, sugar and refined starches. Exercise regularly and your superfoods will make you SUPERFIT!