Mention apples to me and for some bizarre reason I picture the evil queen from Disney’s version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She’s disguised as an old woman tempting Snow White with a poisoned apple. Maybe she comes to mind because I’ve never been crazy about apples. Apple pie, apple tart, apple cake, apple rings? Yes. Ordinary apples that haven’t been laced with piles of sugar? Not so much.

But I’m having a change of heart.

One of my biggest struggles is taking good care of my body and keeping it in optimal working condition. Despite the best intentions, I often fail when it comes to choosing the most nutritious fuel. As a friend once told me, I’m proof that it is possible to survive without eating fruits and vegetables. To survive, yes. But to thrive? Not really. Supplementation doesn’t take the place of enjoying nature’s bounty. And I recently learned that few natural foods have as much to offer as apples.

Recent studies indicate there’s probably a lot of truth to the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, remain cancer-free, or simply improve your overall health, the apple should be part of your daily eating plan. Here are a few reasons why, compiled by the U.S. Apple Association:

• Apples are calorie-lowering foods. In a study conducted by the State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, researchers found that overweight women who consumed just three small apples or pears a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than those who didn’t. Apples and pears are low-cal, high-density foods that leave people feeling fuller longer and help decrease overall calorie intake.

• Apples are cancer-fighting foods. Can eating apples lower your risk for cancer? Possibly, according to a variety of research studies. Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that eating more fruits and veggies, especially apples that are rich in flavonoids, significantly reduces the risk of developing digestive cancers. And the Mayo Clinic reports that the flavonoid quercetin, found in abundance in apples, may help prevent or treat prostate cancer. Another study by the University of Hawaii found that quercetin may also reduce the risk for lung cancer.

• Apples are brain food. A 2004 study from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell found that the nutrients in apples may improve memory and learning and protect against the oxidative damage that contributes to such age-related brain disorders as Alzheimer’s disease.

• Apples relieve breathing disorders. Recent research from the U.K. suggests that when expectant mothers eat apples during pregnancy, their children will be less likely to exhibit symptoms of asthma. Another study from the National Institutes of Health found that the fiber and flavonoids in apples may reduce chronic productive cough, commonly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An Australian study found consumption of apples and pears seems to lower asthma risk, while yet another U.K. study found that apple eaters have better lung function than those who don’t eat apples.

• Apples promote heart health. In a study published in the American Clinical Journal of Nutrition, researchers at the University of California-Davis reported that consuming apples and apple juice daily may help reduce damage caused by “bad” cholesterol and protect against heart disease, perhaps by slowing the oxidation process involved in building up plaque. A Finnish study also found that eating apples may lower the risk of thrombotic stroke.