Apple Cider Nutrition, Benefits and Risks

Have you ever wondered if apple cider is good for you? It does come from apples, after all.
Image Credit: viennetta/iStock/GettyImages

Apple cider vinegar gets most of the glory as a health-promoting apple drink, but apple cider has its benefits, too.

Advertisement

This fermented beverage popular at pumpkin patches and apple orchards is full of gut-friendly bacteria, vitamins and polyphenols.

Video of the Day

What Is Apple Cider?

This flavorful beverage is made from crushed and cold-pressed apples, resulting in an ultra-sweet and thick liquid. Next, the juice undergoes fermentation for 2 to 4 days with yeasts and lactic acid bacteria naturally found in the apples.

Advertisement

For hard apple cider (an alcoholic beverage) the apple cider is left to ferment for over 10 days, per the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

Manufacturers may add sulfites to reduce apple juice oxidation and keep it fresh for longer. Depending on the degree of sweetness, the cider can be sweet, dry, semi-dry or extra dry. If it's left to ferment for several months, it will turn into apple cider vinegar, per a July 2017 article in ‌Microorganisms.

Advertisement

While apple cider is nostalgic for bonfires, apple orchards and pumpkin patches, how healthy for you is this sweet and fruity drink?

Apple Cider Nutrition Facts

One 8-ounce cup of apple cider is equal to one serving. Eight ounces of apple cider has:

  • ​‌Calories‌: 120
  • ​Total fat​‌: 0 g
    • ​Saturated fat‌​: 0 g
  • ​‌Cholesterol‌​: 0 mg
  • ​‌Sodium‌​: 19.2 mg
  • ​Total carbs‌​: 31 g
    • ​Dietary fiber​‌: 1 g
    • ​‌Sugars‌​: 24 g
  • ​‌Protein‌​: 0 g

Advertisement

Apple Cider Macros

  • ​‌Total fat​‌: Eight ounces of apple cider has 0 grams of total fat, which includes 0 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat.
  • ​‌Carbohydrates‌​: Eight ounces of apple cider has 30 grams of carbs, which includes 1 gram of fiber and 24 grams of sugar.
  • ​‌Protein‌​: Eight ounces of apple cider has 0 grams of protein.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Vitamins, Minerals and Other Micronutrients

  • ​‌Iron‌:​ 4% of your Daily Value (DV)
  • Potassium‌: 4% DV
  • Vitamin A‌: 3%
  • Vitamin C‌: 1% DV
Apple cider can be pasteurized to kill any potential bacteria for a safer, and still delicious, apple drink.
Image Credit: Liudmyla Lazoryshyna /iStock/GettyImages

The Health Benefits of Apple Cider

Most researchers agree that apples and their products benefit overall health, but research on apple cider specifically is limited. Here's what we know about the health benefits of apple cider.

Advertisement

1. Apple Cider Is Rich in Antioxidants

Apples have high doses of polyphenols and other phytonutrients with heart-protective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, per a February 2021 article in the International Journal of Food Properties‌.

Once processed, apples' antioxidant content changes, but apple cider still has some of these beneficial antioxidants. Compared to apple juice, apple cider has significantly more polyphenols, specifically cholinergic acid, according to a February 2015 study in the ‌Turkish Journal of Agriculture‌.

Advertisement

Cholinergic acid is an antioxidant known for its potential role in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, cancer, obesity and inflammation, according to an October 2017 article in the European Journal of Nutrition.

2. Apple Cider Can Support a Healthy Heart

Some of the plant compounds in apples and apple products like cider have been found to support a healthy heart and blood vessels.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Researchers found that apples are rich in flavonols, flavanols and other phenolic compounds that are linked to a reduced heart disease risk, per a May 2015 review in the journal Nutrients.

Around 90 percent of plant polyphenols reach the colon intact, according to the May 2015 review in ‌Nutrients.‌ These compounds cause positive changes in the gut flora, increasing "good" bacteria and minimizing the bad bacteria. As a result, they may improve the body's ability to break down and metabolize lipids, which might help lower cholesterol levels.

Apple polyphenols are also linked to decreased blood pressure and inflammation, although more human trials are needed to confirm these findings.

3. Apple Cider Promotes a Healthy Gut

While the polyphenols in apple cider can help influence the good bacteria in the gut, apple cider along with other fermented drinks, can help restore the gut flora and improve digestive function due to their probiotics.

Chilled fruit juices and fermented beverages, in general, support optimal health, per the July 2017 article in ‌Microorganisms.‌ Cider may also have anti-viral properties.

Just be cautious of your portion of apple cider. One cup has 24 grams of sugar, most of it being the natural sugar fructose. Fructose can cause the colon to absorb too much water, leading to diarrhea, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Small amounts of apple cider could be helpful if you have constipation or hard stools.

Risks of Apple Cider

Risk for Contamination

If your apple cider has not been pasteurized, there is a potential risk for contamination and illness. Children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems should not drink unpasteurized apple cider, per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

High Sugar Content

While apple cider is 100 percent juice from apples, it is high in sugar. With 24 grams of sugar and little to no fiber and protein in each cup, apple cider can lead to significant spikes in blood sugar for people who have diabetes.

Tip

Eating a whole apple with the skin would be a better choice for blood sugar management as the extra fiber in the apple can help slow down the sugar's effect on blood glucose levels.

Keep your apple cider to a smaller 1/2-cup portion at a time.

Advertisement

Advertisement

references

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...