<P> "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is a common English - language proverb of Welsh origin . It espouses the folk - wisdom that apple consumption (or consumption of fruits and vegetables in general) has identifiable health benefits . </P> <P> First recorded in the 1860s, the proverb originated in Wales, and was particularly prevalent in Pembrokeshire . The first English version of the saying was "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread ." The current english phrasing, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", began usage at the end of the 19th century, early print examples found as early as 1899 . </P> <P> A 2011 study found that consumption of apples and pears might prevent strokes . A 2012 study found that apple consumption significantly lowered bad cholesterol levels in middle - aged adults . In 2013, the BMJ published a study as part of its humorous Christmas issue comparing the effects of prescribing everyone in the UK over age 50 either an apple or a statin a day . The study concluded that both interventions would be similarly effective . </P>

Where did an apple a day come from