Sweet, delicious apple juice! You’ve got to have taste buds of steel not to enjoy a glass of fresh apple juice in the morning or a refreshingly cold apple drink on a hot summer’s day!
But is apple juice healthy? Yes, there are loads of fantastic apple juice benefits that your body will thank you for later!
Pure apple juice is packed with nutrients and vitamins. Apple juice is proven to improve the body’s immune system and help fight off viruses and infections. Plus, apple juice boosts metabolism, is integral to the health of your heart and eyes, and even helps to give your skin a smooth glow.
There’s a lot more to gain too, so let’s take a look at all the health benefits of apple juice!
Is Apple Juice Good for You?
People are often dubious about apple juice benefits because, of course, a large part of apple juice calories traditionally come from sugars.
Of course, we do need sugars in our diet. Our bodies need them to properly fuel our actions and to function efficiently. Too much sugar, though, can lead to weight gain and an increased chance of type 2 diabetes – not to mention many other chronic health conditions.
It’s important that you avoid the processed, heavily sweetened apple juice that you find at the store if you want to realize the best benefits for your health. Instead, go for unfiltered apple juice, which will contain many more nutrients and vitamins and far fewer preservatives.
Better yet, why not learn how to make apple juice at home? It’s surprisingly easy. All you’ll need are a bag of apples, an apple peeler like this, and a juicer.
Fresh, homemade apple juice is always going to be far more beneficial for you than store-bought apple juice!
What’s the Best Time to Drink Apple Juice?
We love a cold glass of fresh apple juice on a hot day, but to realize the health benefits of apple juice to its fullest extent, you should be drinking it in the morning.
Try to have a glass with breakfast, or better yet, before breakfast. As you awaken from your slumber, your body begins to restart and is looking to quickly absorb any and all vitamins and nutrients that are thrown its way. In the morning, your body’s going to absorb all that apple goodness quickly and efficiently!
It’s also great to drink apple juice before or after a workout. Not only will your body thank you for the sugar and fluid boost, but your body will be in a better position to absorb all the goodness of that apple juice nutrition.
The Best Apple Juice Benefits
Apple juice contains a fantastic number of vitamins and nutrients, all of which have the potential to boost our body’s health. Apple juice Vitamin C levels are sky-high, there’s a huge amount of Vitamin A in every single apple, and then there’s Vitamin K, there’s potassium, there’s fiber, and there’s a lot of water and more!
Here are our favorite apple juice benefits:
#1. Apple juice is packed full of vitamins
Apple juice counts as one of your five a day when it comes to a balanced diet. It’s such an excellent source of vitamins, though, that it should be required to drink a glass of apple juice every day!
Apple juice is packed with vitamins, including Vitamins A, C, and K. Vitamin A is vital for our immune system, Vitamin C stops us from getting scurvy, and Vitamin K is necessary for healthy bones.
The vitamins are also important in keeping our skin clear and smooth (particularly Vitamin A), keeping our liver functioning properly, protecting our brain, and protecting our eyesight!
#2. Apple juice boosts our immune system
All those great vitamins seriously contribute to an improved immune system. Vitamin A is the main booster, and this helps us to regulate our immune response and fight off any unwanted viral intruders.
It’s not only the vitamins that help, though. Apple juice (and the apple peel in particular) is known to contain large amounts of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that help to regulate our immune system.
Most importantly, apple juice helps control our immune system’s response to specific medical conditions too. Anti-inflammatories help us to fight back against allergies and against asthma!
#3. Apple juice benefits your heart’s health
Apple juice contributes to a healthy heart, and as you begin to age, that’s spectacularly important.
Apple juice contains antioxidants as well as soluble fiber. These are thought to contribute to lowering both blood pressure and cholesterol, which helps keep your heart healthy and lowers your risk of chronic heart-related diseases in the future, along with strokes and type 2 diabetes.
#4. Apple juice is an excellent source of fiber
That soluble fiber isn’t just great for your heart; it’s also a much-needed nutrient that helps to keep our gut healthy and our digestive system in full working order.
That’s right; apple juice helps us to avoid constipation because it’s packed with fiber. Fiber-rich foods can also help us to feel fuller, which means that drinking apple juice can stop us from eating too much food!
#5. Apple juice boosts your metabolism
Apple juice is a great metabolism booster, which means it actually helps you to burn off more calories for longer – especially when it’s drunk as part of a balanced diet that also includes lots of exercise!
That means that apple juice can, in fact, help you to lose weight when you’re exercising. Add that to the fiber and vitamins, and you’ve got a real winner if you’re looking for a tasty drink when you’re dieting.
What Are the Downsides to Apple Juice?
Despite the great apple juice benefits, as with anything, there are going to be some downsides too.- We already mentioned sugar, but as part of a balanced diet, we need sugars. Drinking too much apple juice, however, can result in your sugar levels spiking and can contribute to weight gain.
- In the same way, too much apple juice can also contribute to tooth decay – again, even natural sugars aren’t great for our teeth.
- Some people may also be worried about pesticides or contaminants that could be in store-bought apples or the preservatives that could be in store-bought apple juice.
To avoid this worry, it’s best to make your own apple juice at home. You could even plant an apple tree if you have a large enough garden (although they do take quite a few years to grow from seed!).
Apple Juice Benefits Summary: Let’s Get drinking!
It’s clear that apple juice has super benefits that our bodies and our health will thank us for. Rich in vitamins, packed with nutrients, and bursting with antioxidants, this is one type of juice that we should all be drinking.
Of course, with high sugar levels, apple juice can only be drunk in moderation – and we recommend juicing your own apples for the best juice!
Why not bookmark our guide to the best apple juice benefits to inspire you to drink more juice?