Whether Pink Lady or Braeburn, as juice or spritzer, clear or cloudy, drunk from a glass or straight from the bottle: apple juice is the classic among fruit juices. More and more often we find comments in the frank. community about the apples in our juices. Spoiler: with these juices it's not only the taste that is hugely popular, but also the nutritional value!
Besides enjoying pure apple juice, the ways to combine it are almost endless thanks to its mild, sweet and fruity taste. Apple can also be processed in other ways than juice. Do you know apple purée? Here the fresh apple is cooked down into a thick pulp that keeps fresh for a long time when preserved. Unlike apple sauce, apple purée has no added sugar, which is why it is so popular as a fruity and healthy side with porridge, yoghurt or semolina pudding.
Back to Germany's favourite juice! Apple juice doesn't just taste great, it also contains nutrients that are important for a healthy diet. Below you'll find out what the components in apples have to do with polyphenols, oxygen compounds and your gut health.
What makes apple juice so healthy?
Let's take a look at the ingredients and nutritional values of apple juice. Can the tasty drink really improve our diet? And do the positive effects apply regardless of the apple variety? Are the nutritional values of the apple the same as in the juice?
Besides minerals such as magnesium and potassium, the fruit juice also contains vitamins. If we shake our apple trees and eat the freshly harvested fruit, these apples are a natural source of vitamin C. The catch is that vitamin C is sensitive to heat and long storage. This means: the longer the apple is stored before eating or before being made into juice, and the more the juice is heated, the less vitamin C is left in the apple juice. That's why at frank. we take special care to use fresh apples before processing, and we use no heat to preserve our juices.
Besides the high vitamin C content, apples also contain secondary plant compounds, which play an important role in your healthy diet. Cloudy apple juice contains more polyphenols than clear apple juice. For example, you can easily recognise the polyphenols and flavonoids in apples by their red, blue, light yellow or violet colour. We'll explain the effect of polyphenols in the next section. For now, all you need to know is that the secondary plant compounds from fruit and vegetables are an important part of your diet.
But that's not all. Apples also contain fibre (you can find everything about the importance of a high-fibre diet here), which helps keep your gut healthy. Pectin is an important fibre for your gut health. It is one of the water-soluble fibres that are broken down in the large intestine.
Discover our juice cleanse now!
How the ingredients in apple juice can affect your health
Apple juice is a good source of vitamin C, which can help support the immune system. Apples also contain minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, which are important for your muscle function and for regulating blood pressure. Because of the alkaline character of apples, drinking apple juice may help balance the body's acid-base balance and support the elimination of excess acids.
The secondary plant compounds in apples help protect your body from free radicals. These cause oxidative stress in the body, which is linked to cell damage and ageing processes. Oxidative stress is an excessive formation of reactive oxygen compounds in the body. If you want to learn more about oxidative stress, Prof. Dr. med. Bernd Kleine-Gunk from BIOGENA explains more about it on YouTube. You can also read up on the topic of oxidative stress when fasting on our blog.
Thanks to its plant compounds, apple juice may also have anti-inflammatory properties. This may be one reason why apples are being looked at in connection with certain types of cancer. Some even claim that apple juice may contribute to a lower risk of Alzheimer's, although this is not proven. On top of that, apple juice may also have a positive effect on aches and discomfort in joints and muscles.
Important: the antioxidant benefits occur in apples in general, regardless of the variety. If you buy apple juice from the shop, make sure it isn't pasteurised, as this can destroy the nutrients in the apples.
In addition, some studies suggest that children who regularly drink apple juice or apple spritzer may have a lower risk of developing asthma than those who don't. More research is needed to confirm this.
As already mentioned, apples contain water-soluble pectin. Fibres such as pectin can contribute to healthy cholesterol levels in your blood. A normal cholesterol level is very good for your heart health.
Apple juice can put you in a good mood
The benefits of apple juice go beyond the physical: it can also have a positive effect on our mind. One study has suggested that drinking apple juice may improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety. The reason is thought to be the polyphenols in apple juice, which may support a good mood.
Apple juice may also help improve your memory and have a positive influence on your concentration. Further results of a study have suggested that drinking apple juice may improve mental performance compared with water.
What possible side effects do apples and their juice have?
Apple juice sounds too good to be true so far, doesn't it? But what about the possible side effects? Here are reasons why you shouldn't drink too much apple juice; one glass a day is perfectly enough. If you like, you can also stretch the juice with a little water.
- Tooth discolouration: the high sugar content in apple juice can lead to tooth discolouration. The sugar in apple juice can play a role in the development of tooth decay. That's why in our frank. juices we combine apple juice with vegetable juices.
- Intolerances: some people can react badly to certain components in apple juice, for example the fructose of the apple that is contained in the drink. This can lead to discomfort such as bloating and stomach ache.
- Interaction with medication: apple juice can also interact with certain medications, in particular blood-thinning medication.
It's important to note that these side effects usually only occur if you drink excessive amounts of apple juice.
Warm apple juice can have an influence on body and mind
Heating apple juice is a popular alternative to cold apple juice and plays a big role in releasing a number of health benefits. Even if your aim is to support the elimination of excess acids, you can enjoy your apple juice warm.
Warm apple juice for stress?
Some people find that enjoying warm apple juice has a calming effect on the body and may help ease signs of stress and sleep problems. Drinking warm drinks can have an influence on relaxing the body and loosening the muscles, which can lead to a reduction in stress symptoms. Warm apple juice can also convey a feeling of warmth and security, which can also influence stress relief.
Warm apple juice can affect circulation
Enjoying warm apple juice may improve circulation in the body and thus supply the cells and organs better with oxygen and nutrients. A warm apple juice drink can promote circulation because the rise in body temperature causes the blood vessels to widen. This allows the blood to flow more easily through the vessels and thereby increases circulation. Better circulation also means that nutrients and oxygen are transported better through the body, and that can help improve general wellbeing and support health.
Warm apple juice for the stomach?
Warm apple juice may help ease occasional stomach and gut discomfort such as constipation, diarrhoea and bloating by stimulating movement in the gut and supporting the gut flora. It may also support digestion in the gut by stimulating the secretion of digestive enzymes and promoting intestinal peristalsis.
However, it's important to note that warm apple juice is not for everyone, especially people with stomach and gut conditions or reflux-related conditions. It's also important to make sure the apple juice is not too hot, to avoid burns.
Apple juice in frank. products
With its many varieties, the apple is simply part of Germany. Whether green, veggie or fruity, apple juice goes with just about everything! And that's exactly why it's an ingredient in four frank. juices that couldn't be more different. You'll also find all of these juices in our juice cleanse.
The Good Life
Even in the depths of winter, this juice instantly transports you to summer. In this fruity-sweet juice, apple, pineapple and mint come together to make a real refreshment bomb. Convince yourself of the taste of apple juice in The Good Life.
Marvellous Greens
The veggie components cucumber, spinach and ginger are balanced by the fruity juice of apple and lemon. With only 30 calories, Marvellous Greens is perfect for anyone who doesn't like things quite so sweet.
The Crocodile
A second green juice from frank. also contains the popular apple juice. The Crocodile is fruitier than Marvellous Greens and has the perfect mix of fruit and vegetables: spinach and cucumber on one side, and apple, pear and orange on the other.
True Romance
True Romance is the juice for the veggie fans among you, with only 40 calories. Treat yourself to the taste of beetroot in perfect balance with apple, carrot, orange and pomegranate. Our cold-pressed juice is rounded off with a hint of ginger. This use of apple juice is unique.
Conclusion - why you should drink more apple juice
Overall, apple juice contains many important nutrients and can be part of a healthy diet. There are some studies suggesting that apple juice may have potentially positive effects on gut health. You should drink apple juice regularly and in moderation. Combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, you'll get the best results.
