An apple a day really does keep the doctor away

New research suggests the age-old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is finally proving its merit.

A University of Oxford study published in the British Medical Journal has found that an apple a day can reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke in people over the age of 50 almost as effectively as cholesterol-lowering medications called statins.

"It just shows how effective small changes in diet can be, and that both drugs and healthier living can make a real difference in preventing heart disease and stroke," Adam Briggs, lead researcher and Oxford academic fellow, tells BBC.

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The researchers claim the health boost doesn't just apply to apples -- an increased intake of one serving of any fruit or vegetable a day will provide the same benefit as preventative statin medications.

They estimate that 17.6 million people in the U.K. are eligible for prescribed statins simply as a preventative measure to lower cholesterol. Assuming 70 per cent of those people took the medications, statins would prevent 9,400 deaths from heart disease or stroke. If 70 per cent of those people skipped the medication and ate an apple a day instead, 8,500 deaths would be prevented, putting the apple-per-day prescription almost on par with statin medication.

The major benefit of using apples as a preventative measure is that there are no known negative side effects associated with upping your intake of fruits or vegetables -- aside from a few minor inconveniences.

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"No side-effects were modelled for increased apple consumption. Aside from the distress caused by a bruised apple, and the theoretical risk of identifying half a worm inside, apple-related adverse events are not widely recognized," the authors joke.

According to Statistics Canada, only 50 per cent of women and 37 per cent of men eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Watch the video below for sweet and savoury ideas to get your apple a day serving!