Apple juice benefits are too good for you to miss if you’re juicing. Apples are one of my favorite fruits to juice because not only can they be added to any vegetable juice (or raw recipe) to sweeten the taste, but they are also one of the only fruits that combine well with all vegetables. Generally, green apples have a sharper, tangier taste than red, which are often sweeter and milder in flavor. Apples are packed full of nutrients and antioxidants which your body can absorb immediately, for instant and long-lasting health benefits. Always try get organic apples as orchards often spray apples heavily with pesticides.
Apple juice benefits and why you should drink it
- Apples are rich in folic acid, beta-carotene, Vitamin
C, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium which cleanse
the digestive tract and aid liver function. They contain small amounts of
B1, B2, B3, biotin and Vitamin E as well. The vitamin and mineral blast found
in freshly squeezed apple juice also helps strengthen the immune
system. - Apples contain flavonoids, which help clear and relax the
arteries and pectin, which lowers cholesterol, making them a very heart-healthy
food. Pectin is also known for removing toxins from the system and decreasing
the risk of colon cancer. - Apples can help alleviate conditions such as arthritis,
asthma, and rheumatism. - Apples also contain an element called boron which
strengthens and builds bones. - Apples have been shown to prevent and fight different forms
of cancer, including colon as mentioned, breast, lung and liver
cancer. - Studies have even shown apples to increase the brain’s
ability to focus and perform better.
- Freshly squeezed apple juice will give you more consistent
energy all through the day, it can slow down the aging process and even
encourage weight loss.
Top things you didn’t know about apples
Apples
originated in Asia
Apples were first cultivated in Central Asia in the Tien Shan mountains of Kazakhstan millions of
years ago.
Apples are related to
roses
From a deciduous tree that is a member of the rose family, apples,
like roses, are best grown and propagated by grafting them onto root stock.
A recipe exists from the
3rd century
The oldest apple recipe on record, according to
the US Apple Association, was for Diced Pork and Matian Apples. It comes from
De Re Coquinaria (“On Cookery”), dating from the third century and attributed
to a gourmand named Marcus Gavius Apicius, who lived two centuries before.
A Lady Apple is the
oldest type of apple
One of the oldest types of apples still grown today is the Lady Apple, or Pomme
d’Api, which was originally documented in early Rome (around 700 BC).
The crabapple comes from
North America
The crabapple is the only apple native to North America according to the US
Apple Association. British settlers brought the first European apple seeds,
cuttings, and plants to America when they arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in
1607.
A short history of cider
Apple orchards were easier to plant and grow than barley (for beer). During
colonial times, cider was considered safer to drink than communal water
sources, which were often contaminated. So fermented cider became commonly
served (weaker ones for children) at meals instead of water. Cider was even
used to pay salaries sometimes! Up until the close of the 19th century, apple
cider, not beer, was the preferred beverage of the working class.
There are more apples in
the world than ever before, but less variety
Many of the original thousands of apple varieties have dwindled out. One
particularly valuable and threatened species is called Malus sieversii, a wild
apple which is the ancestor of all cultivated apples in the world. Today, just
10 of the 3,000 varieties account for more than 70 percent of world production,
according to National Geographic.
China produces most of
the world’s apples
China grows more apples than any other country, followed by the U.S. which
commercially grows apples in 36 states.
Plain Apple Juice Recipe
To make plain apple juice, just juice apples by themselves. 3-4 make a nice size glass.
Easy Green Grape & Apple Juice Recipe
This recipe makes about 8-10 ounces of juice. When combined with spinach I’ve found it to be a great constipation remedy to keep you regular. The apple/spinach mix promotes the peristalsis motion in your stomach & intestines, which is the contracting of the muscles to move your food along through your system.
INGREDIENTS
3 apples, cored
1 lemon, peeled
1 handful green grapes
Optional: 1-3 cups fresh spinach
DIRECTIONS
Juice the apples, lemon, grapes and spinach together. Serve immediately.
