Apple Growers And Grocers Team Up To Fight Cancer

New York apple growers, on behalf of 41 participating supermarket chains, have donated $25,000 to the American Cancer Society as part of an ongoing effort to help fight cancer and raise awareness of the cancer-fighting benefits of eating apples.

“We’re proud to have local grocers help us promote good nutrition through apples,” said Linda Quinn, a nutritionist for the New York Apple Association.

New York apple growers and partnering supermarkets have made the donation an annual tradition in the Northeast, donating more than $256,000 over the past nine years. In more than 3,000 retail locations, grocers will be placing promotional posters next to McIntosh, Empire, and other displays of New York apple varieties in their produce departments.

The signs, showing three New York State apple varieties with pink ribbons, alert consumers about the Cancer Society fundraising effort.

Below are highlights from research showing the benefits of eating apples:

– Research conducted at Cornell University has shown a potential beneficial link between increased apple consumption and a reduced risk of certain types of cancer.

– Researchers at Rochester, Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic report that quercetin, a plant-based nutrient found most abundantly in apples, may help inhibit or prevent the growth of human prostate cancer cells (Carcinogenesis, 2001).

– Quercetin, a flavonoid found naturally in apples, has been identified as one of the most beneficial flavonols in preventing and reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer (American Journal of Epidemiology, 2007).

– Research done in Europe found that people who tended to eat more apples were less likely to develop certain types of digestive cancers, likely because they are rich in fiber, as well as polyphenols and flavonoids, which can inhibit cancer onset. (European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2010).

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