The world loves apples. Every year, almost 100 million tonnes of apples are produced globally. These fruits, which comes in a wide range of colours and flavours, have long had a reputation for helping us stay healthy.

The popular phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” originates from a slightly wordier Welsh proverb written in 1866: “Eat an apple on going to bed and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” But is there any truth at the core of this longstanding maxim? And are apples especially healthy compared with other fruit?