The Health Benefits of Apple Juice

By mojo On December 18, 2010 · 1 Comment

It’s hard to find a fruit in nature that’s healthier than the apple. In fact, even when you take it in the form of apple juice, there are lots of health benefits you get whether you are a child or an adult. The apple is used for alcoholic products too, and the best thing about it is that having all those health benefits, its one of the cheapest fruits that you can find.

Apple Juice and Your Health

Apple juice contains lots of different nutrients that are necessary in the body for optimum health. Almost all types of apples contain vitamin C which helps your body fight disease. One of the diseases that apples will help you fight, although rare today, is scurvy. Although there is still no solid scientific evidence, vitamin C has also been said to help fight off colds.

Apple juice also contains antioxidants which are the body’s armor against disease, both for prevention and cure. When you are under a rigorous exercise regimen, apple juice will help you boost energy levels as well as help muscles which might tear due to strain. Exercising also forces the body to produce oxidants, as much as 10 times more than when your body is at rest. These lead to more fatigue than usual and a glass of apple juice will help you to clear these out of your system. Antioxidants have also been shown to fight off certain kinds of cancers and if consumed in moderation. It’s a great weight loss booster as well and helps to reduce cholesterol.

Apple Juice for Alzheimer’s

A study in 2009 showed that drinking apple juice regularly as one grew older helps to delay the onset of dementia, a condition which eventually leads to Alzheimer’s disease. In the same study, mice that were fed regularly with apple juice showed improved brain function and they were better able to cope with orientation, one of the most debilitating conditions that comes along with Alzheimer’s. It also showed that apple juice slowed ageing of the brain and ultimately, the brain remains in good function for a longer time (for more foods that can slow down the aging process you can visit anti aging nutrition).

Other Nutrients in Apple Juice and Their Benefits

Apples are one of the greatest sources of fiber. In fact, most sources of fiber are not sweet, but with apples, you get to enjoy the fruit as well as help your digestion.

Apple juice is also rich in iron, but you shouldn’t take too much of it as the antioxidants in it will bind the iron and it wont be absorbed into your blood stream. This of course will lead to iron deficiencies and eventually diseases like anemia.

The juice is also an antioxidant, and people who smoke or suffer breathing problems should take it to help detoxify and therefore clean the lungs for easier breathing.

Although apple juice contains a lot of the nutrients that are needed for daily function, it has no calories that can make you gain weight, even when you add artificial sweeteners to it.

The benefits go on and on. Apple juice is excellent for people suffering from anemia, stomach disorders, rheumatism, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and obesity. It also helps prevent liver and kidney disease, formation of uric acid and chronic colitis. It will detoxify even heavy metals like radionuclide from the body.

It also helps fight off dysentery, respiratory diseases and laryngitis. It has calcium which helps strengthen bones especially in pregnant women and children.

Cloudy Apple Juice

This is actually the healthiest form of apple juice. When you buy apple juice from the store, it’s usually clear and this is because of the continuous filtration that has been done to it. Filtration removes 2 major ingredients: pectin and starch. It will also remove some of the natural fibre and vitamin C. These are some of the most beneficial elements in apple juice, so a store bought apple juice will not give you full health value.

In the US, unfiltered apple juice comes in the form of apple cider and can be bought in stores. You should be aware though, that in the UK, apple cider is actually an alcoholic drink made of apple juice and alcohol.

Side Effects of Apple Juice

The FDA, after testing apples and apple juice, says that there are few if any side effects. The only times you may have problems is if you take too much of it at once or if you go on an apple juice diet for detox without consuming anything else. All ingredients in apples and apple juice have a high level of tolerance before they actually show up in the blood to cause any negative side effects.

Of course, they can confidently tell you that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away!”