What Does Apple Juice Do For The Body?

Apple juice makes a good choice not just as a sweet accompaniment to breakfast, but for any meal of your day as long as you can fit it within your daily meal plan calories. This drink is relatively low in fat and calories, but it can do many other good things for your body. Do not consume apple juice as a treatment for any medical problem without first consulting your health care provider.

Contributes to Heart Function

Apple juice may protect your heart, keeping it working at optimal levels. A 1-cup serving of apple juice provides 7 percent of the daily recommended intake of potassium. This mineral is vital for your heart. It is an electrolyte, which conducts electricity throughout your body, including your heart. The potassium in apple juice contributes toward proper muscle contraction, which keeps the heart working as it should. A study published in the Winter 2010 issue of the journal "Experimental and Clinical Cardiology" correlates low potassium, a condition known as hypokalemia, with fatalities triggered by heart palpitations and other heart conditions.

Helps Reduce Epilepsy Symptoms

Consuming apple juice may prove beneficial to those suffering from epilepsy thanks to its manganese content. A serving of apple juice contains 9 percent of the daily recommended intake of manganese, and this may have a bearing on seizures. Evidence available in the March 2007 edition of "Alternative Medicine Review" indicates that manganese may reduce how often epileptic seizure occur when you have this condition. Researchers point out that most people with epilepsy will still require anti-seizure medications, but your doctor may be able to lower dosages if you boost your manganese intake.

Keeps You Hydrated

The National Academy of Sciences suggests drinking 9 cups of water per day if you are a woman or 13 cups of water if you are a man. While water is preferred because it does not contribute calories or fat to your diet, you can also consume apple juice to help you get the water you require. It is especially critical to drink enough apple juice and other liquids if you exercise. East Carolina University suggests ingesting 16 oz. of apple juice for each pound of water sweated off during activity.

Boosts Immune System

Apple juice is available with or without the addition of vitamin C, but even apple juice that is unenriched contains a small amount of this vitamin, 4 percent of the daily recommended intake. The vitamin C in this juice has not proven to keep you from getting sick, but it may shorten the duration of your cold. It may also fortify your immune system when it comes to cancer. Research featured in the October 2008 "Planta Medica" journal indicates that apple juice and other apple products have demonstrated the ability to ward off colon, skin and lung cancer in either animal or human studies.