The queen among apples
Annurca is a variety of apple also known as the "queen of apples", an authentic excellence that grows especially in the areas of Pozzuoli, in Campania.
It is a IGP apple also cultivated in other areas of Campania, near the city of Caserta. The harvest of this apple variety is very unusual and interesting: this apple does not ripen on the tree but comes carefully collected and placed in the sun on a few layers of straw.
After having them turn regularly, one by one, they are harvested until they turn red, usually within a few weeks. This process makes the Annurca apple a healthy and good fruit, so much so that it is considered one of the most important apples for its beneficial properties.
The particularities of Annurca apples
The particular and unique taste of Annurca is an effect of properties of the volcanic soil in which apple trees are grown.
The habitat, in which this apple variety is grown, together with exposure to sunlight, gives the apples a special and unique taste. Annurca apples are a concentrate of well-being: in fact in the Annurca there is ahigh concentration of procyanidin B., plus other varieties such as Red Delicious, Fuji, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious. This is why Annurca is on the list of plants authorized for the production of food supplements.
Scientific studies
La metabolic syndrome is a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease such asarteriosclerosis, and among the first causes we find hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension.
Reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, particularly dyslipidemia (abnormal amount of lipids in the blood), which has been reported as the strongest risk factor for atherosclerosis, is extremely important. In some studies on guinea pigs it has been seen how administering tea polyphenols improved blood lipid levels and promoted the excretion of lipids while preventing the elevation of postprandial serum triglycerides in a clinical study.
It is interesting to note that Apple procyanidins are compounds consisting of small units of catechins. Therefore, it could be hypothesized that these may play an important role in in vitro cholesterol studies. In particular, the antioxidant composition and the in vitro effects on cholesterol metabolism of Annurca apple polyphenolic extracts.
Comparing the experimental data with those of the most common commercial apple cultivars, the Annurca apple showed the highest polyphenolic concentration, indicating how this apple variety may be the most effective in reducing cellular absorption of cholesterol.
The influence of daily Annurca apple consumption on cholesterol levels in moderately hypercholesterolemic healthy subjects was described in a further study. Consuming two Annurca apples a day led to a drop in cholesterol levels total and low density lipoproteins of 8.3 and 14.5%.
