Eating one apple every day keeps the doctor away.

fact_checkWhat experts say

• infoPeople who eat an apple a day do not go to the doctor less often than people who do not eat apples.1
• infoApple eaters use slightly fewer prescription medicines, but they are not less likely to stay in hospital or to visit a mental health professional.1
• infoApples contain fiber, vitamins and plant compounds like quercetin. It is not clear yet how much these help health.12
• infoAmong people who had wheezing, eating apples daily was linked to fewer long-lasting coughs. It is not yet known if apples themselves cause this.2
• infoApples do not stop you from needing care when you are ill.1

lightbulbWhy people believe it

The saying is over 150 years old and rhymes nicely. Apples have long been used as a symbol of health, and the media, health groups and apple sellers have repeated it for years.

checklistWhat to do

• check_circleDo not rely on eating apples to avoid doctor visits or to treat illness.12
• check_circleSee a doctor when you are ill, even if you eat an apple every day.1
• check_circleDo not stop your medicine or skip check-ups because you eat apples.1

menu_bookSources

1. 1Association Between Apple Consumption and Physician Visits: Appealing the Conventional Wisdom That an Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Awaynih.govopen_in_new
2. 2An Apple or Onion a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: Association of Dietary Quercetin with Less Acute Respiratory Illness and Chronic Cough (Road to Health Study)cdc.govopen_in_new

Updated 21 Oct 2026