An apple juice a day could keep a trip to the heart doctor away, says new research. A team of researchers at UC Davis School of Medicine in the US have found that drinking apple juice appears to slow down a process that can lead to heart disease. Compounds in apples and apple juice called phytonutrients act in much the same way that red wine and tea do to delay the break down of LDL or "bad" cholesterol. When LDL oxidises, or deteriorates in the blood, plaque accumulates along the walls of the coronary artery and causes atherosclerosis (a dangerous thickening of the artery). Lead researcher Dianne Hyson, a dietician and quoted by the BBC Web site, said: "Previous studies have shown that eating fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of coronary artery disease."But this is the first clinical study to show the potential benefits of active compounds in apple juice and apples." Although the researchers expected to see positive results from drinking apple juice, they were surprised to find beneficial effects after only six weeks. The research is published in the Journal of Food Medecine
