An apple a day keeps flab away

LONDON: An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so goes the old saying. Now, researchers claim to have found out the exact reason - the fruit helps keep one's body toned and slender by boosting muscles and fighting the flab.
A new study by the University of Iowa has found that ursolic acid - a substance found in the peel - has natural body building qualities and could help people keep a toned, slender body.And, it could even help with diabetes.
In experiments, the researchers discovered that it boosts muscle growth by up to
15% and reduces body fat by more than a half. It also has health giving properties - reducing blood sugar levels, cholesterol and harmful fatty acids. Lead researcher Christopher Adams said the substance could be especially useful in the elderly who naturally lose body muscle, known as atrophy.
He said: "Muscle atrophy affects most people at some point in their lives, during illness or ageing. But, there's no medicine for it."