An apple a day may keep the cardiologist away, according to a research study conducted by Florida State University Scientists. In this USDA-funded study, a group of women were asked to eat 75 g of dried apples per day. At the end of the 6-month follow up period, the apples dropped “bad” LDL cholesterol by 23% –comparable to cholesterol-lowering prescription medications like Lipitor.

The apple’s benefits went further than a simple reduction in cholesterol. Serial apple eaters found themselves with significantly lower levels of the pro-inflammatory protein CRP. The researchers state that the soluble fiber in the apples were likely responsible for the dramatic drop in bad cholesterol. Apples are also an abundant source of antioxidants, which also likely contributed to the reduction in inflammation that the subject’s experienced.

Despite contributing an estimated 250 calories to the subject’s diet, the apples didn’t add to the volunteer’s waistline. In fact, each apple-eater lost an average of 3 pounds –even though they didn’t purposefully cut calories.

Learn more “tricks” to fight cholesterol in a flash…