Apples help with weight loss

Every day, yes every day, I eat an unpeeled apple and a 1/2 cup of walnuts for breakfast. That way I don't get hungry. If I eat something with grain or dairy, I'm famished within an hour. My favorite breakfast is two pieces of toast covered with thick slices of cheese, topped with peanut butter, but those days are definitely over. And this time of year, I can get Honey Crisp apples. Monday I paid $9 for 8 apples, and one was bad when I sliced it, so it was $9 for 7. I was happy to get them. Last week they were $.30 a pound cheaper, but the store only had 4. Here's a story from the Chicago Tribune that will explain why this apple is so wonderful. Once you eat one, you'll be spoiled for anything else.

The Obesity Society reports that eating an apple before a meal will help curb your appetite.

"A new study shows an apple a day keeps the calories at bay. People who ate an apple about 15 minutes before lunch consumed almost 190 fewer calories than when they didn't have the apple. The research was presented Tuesday at a meeting of the Obesity Society, an organization of weight-control scientists and professionals." USAToday

I'm not sure why this is breaking news, because apple growers have been praising the apples' low calories and health benefits for years. But, the Obesity Society apparently also reported that walking briskly for an hour a day is key to weight loss. Who knew?