Give it up for the apple. It not only keeps the doctor away. It also keeps calories away.

A new Pennsylvania State University study shows that the consumption of apples in different forms affects calorie intake. Specifically, people who ate an apple about 15 minutes before lunch consumed almost 190 fewer calories than when they didn't have the apple.

This study of 59 normal-weight men and women suggests that eating something like a low-calories piece of fruit versus something like fruit juice before a meal might be a great strategy for reducing calorie intake.

"It looks like solid fruit is more filling than fruit juice, and people perceive them differently," says one researcher. People look at an apple and look at fruit juice, and they think the apple will fill them up. And it does. And they eat less as a result. And this is why the apple deserves a round of applause.