July 22, 2025

Sahana Karthik 

12th Grade

Lawrence E. Elkins High School

For generations, the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” has been a symbol of healthy choice and good health. According to the Washington Post, the saying originated from an older variation from Wales: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread” (Ely). But in the age of evidence-based medicine and rising healthcare costs, old proverbs must be subjected to science. While apples have been associated with many benefits to health, recent studies indicate that their impact on preventing doctor visits is more myth than reality. Apples are otherwise a healthy snack, but should not be idealized as some sort of miraculous remedy. Instead, evidence points to a multifaceted scenario where apples could reduce prescriptions by a factor, but modern medicine is simply too complex to be replaced by myth.

A 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine analyzed data from a group of adults in the United States to explore whether daily apple consumption correlates with reduced healthcare usage. The researchers discovered that apple eaters “were more likely, in the crude analysis, to keep the doctor (and prescription medications) away: 39.0% of apple eaters avoided physician visits vs 33.9% of non–apple eaters” (Davis et al.). However, once the data was adjusted for demographics and lifestyle choices such as smoking and insurance status, “the association was no longer statistically significant” (Davis et al.). While this finding undermines the literal truth of the adage, the study still found that apple eaters were “somewhat more likely to avoid prescription medication use” with a marginally significant odds ratio of 1.27 (Davis et al.). In other words, the benefits of apples may lie more in the prevention of minor ailments than in the avoidance of professional medical care. 

But apples still retain their rightful health value. The same study concedes that apples do contain fiber, essential vitamins, and flavonoids like quercetin, which are "thought to be beneficial in the prevention of cancer and other health conditions" (Davis et al.). There is other research linking apples with cardiovascular, asthma, and even reduced neurodegenerative disease risk. But, as the authors clarify, “improved health related to apple eating may not necessarily translate into lower health care use” (Davis et al.). This is the thing to remember: nutrition will bring about overall health benefits, but that does not mean a person is exempt from seeking medical care when it is needed. 

If apples are mainly harmless, the same could not be said of all fruits. Doctors caution that grapefruit will be more detrimental than helpful if consumed along with some medications. It is a health symbol and a significant hazard if consumed with certain medications. According to the Mayo Clinic, "grapefruit can get in the way of several kinds of prescription medicines," typically causing them to "stay in the body for too long or too short a time," and "can build up to risky levels" (Zeratsky). This interaction may cause intense side effects ranging from hormone imbalance to organ rejection. The issue is caused by chemicals in grapefruit that interfere with drug metabolism in the stomach. Unlike apples, grapefruits can’t simply be timed differently from medication; they must often be eliminated from a patient’s diet altogether. Ironically, however, in the healthcare context, physicians are more likely to be wary of a grapefruit than an apple.

Ultimately, the apple is more of a symbol of a healthy habit than it is a magic pill. While it may offer slight benefits, such as less usage of prescriptions, its influence on avoiding doctors is minimal. As Davis and colleagues conclude, “There may be merit to saying, ‘An apple a day keeps the pharmacist away'” (Davis et al.). But even that benefit is limited. And since other fruits like grapefruit can interact with some medications, the idea that all fruits naturally promote good health must be questioned. Finally, good health requires more than just simple fruit. Instead, good health requires educated, individualized attention and care from medical science.