per 100 grams
Carbohydrates 11.3 g
11.3%
Proteins 0.1 g
0.1%
Fats 0.1 g
0.1%
Water 88.2 g
88.2%
Sugar 9.6 grams
Fiber 0.2 grams
Trans Fats 0 ug
Ash 0.2 grams

Apple Juice

46 Calories per 100g

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What is Apple Juice?

Apple juice is one of the most popular types of fruit juices available to purchase in a variety of forms including fresh, frozen, concentrated, and canned. Depending on the processing method that’s used, apple juice can be made from different types of apples, ranging from tart to sweet and everything in between. In addition to the taste and texture advantage, apple juice contains important vitamins and minerals that can help keep your body healthy.

Apple Juice History

Drinking and producing apple juice has a long history, dating back to the Neolithic era when people stored and consumed apples as a way to get nutrition during the winter months. As far back as 2400 BCE, the ancient Egyptians were making apple juice as well. In medieval Europe, farmers grew different types of apples and turned them into cider and other drinks as needed. Apple juice was certainly not the only type of juice or beverage around during this time, but it was increasingly popular.

In the new world, apples were a popular crop in the colonies by the 1500s, so it’s not surprising that apple cider was a popular drink. As time went on, Americans began adding spices and even fermenting their cider in order to make it into an alcoholic beverage. But at the same time, apple juice was also produced as a non-alcoholic juice. It wasn’t until the 1940s that large manufacturers began mass-producing canned and bottled apple juice.

Processing Apple Juice

Today, apple juice is made with a variety of processing techniques that can affect not just the flavor and nutritional value but also the appearance of the end product. Depending on how it’s processed, apple juice can range from a cloudy juice to one that’s crystal clear.

The most common method of processing apple juice is to press and pasteurize the juice with a method called flash-pasteurization. To do this, freshly-harvested apples are pressed and blended to form juice. This puree is then heated to a temperature that is hot enough to destroy any potential harmful pathogens but still low enough to preserve the flavor and nutrition of the juice.

Next, the heated apple juice is filtered through a fine mesh in order to remove any solids, such as pieces of skin or pulp. This process gives the juice a clearer appearance. After the filtration process is complete, the juice is either bottled or canned and sealed.

Other methods of processing apple juice involve a combination of filtration and centrifugation. These methods are used to remove any sediment and debris from the juice that may have started off in the puree before it was flash-pasteurized. With centrifugation, juice is also pasteurized and then is captured into a spinning bowl, which removes some of the natural solids in the juice that would have otherwise remained in the juice.

Types of Apple Juice

Once the apple juice is processed, it can be purchased in a variety of different formats. Many companies offer single-strength juice, meaning the juice has not been concentrated. If a product is labeled as double-strength juice, this means the juice has been concentrated and then re-hydrated to reach its original single-strength consistency. In this form, the juice is usually more expensive, because the manufacturers had to use more apples in order to get the same single-strength volume.

The last option is frozen apple juice concentrate. In this case, the juice has been concentrated and frozen. Frozen concentrate takes up less room and is cheaper than single-strength juice, but you must mix it with water before use.

Nutritional Information

In addition to being tasty and convenient, apple juice is packed with vitamins and minerals. One cup of single-strength apple juice, for instance, contains 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates and 20 grams of sugar. It’s also a good source of potassium, vitamin A and fiber, as well as some calcium and magnesium.

Apple juice also naturally contains antioxidants that can decrease the risk of heart disease and keep cells healthy. Drinking at least one cup of juice per day has also been shown to decrease the risk of stroke, hypertension, heart attack, diabetes and other health complications.

Conclusion

All in all, apple juice is a delicious and nutritious drink that can provide a variety of health benefits. Whether you choose to enjoy single-strength apple juice, double-strength apple juice or frozen apple juice concentrate, you can rest assured that you’re getting plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help keep you healthy. There are so many delicious flavors and varieties of apple juice available today, so why not give it a try?