The saying goes that an apple a day keeps illness away. It is largely true, because the many qualities in apples boost immunity. But if someone eats three or four apples every day, it can backfire.

Doctors say an adult can eat two apples a day, but eating more than that is not good at all. The apple itself is less to blame than the pesticides used when growing it. In their words, harmful pesticides on apples can cause various dangers when they enter the body. Eating too many apples can also cause the following problems.

• Eating a lot of apples means the pesticides on them can worsen various stomach problems and may even raise the risk of stomach cancer. The stomach can be damaged, and it can also cause various diseases of the rectum. It can also increase contaminants in the blood and cause various kinds of poisoning in the body.
• It is not only pesticides: artificial wax is often applied to apples to make them shine. Apples naturally have a little wax-like substance on their skin, but it does not last long. After that, to keep apples fresh and shiny, many people coat them with wax and petroleum jelly. This also ends up in the stomach, where the wax and petroleum jelly build up. This too raises the risk of cancer and various other diseases.

• Eating more than two apples a day can raise blood sugar levels. It can also cause digestive problems and weight gain.
• Eating too many apples can also damage the teeth. People with tooth or gum problems should consult a doctor before eating apples.

Source: Samakal. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.