Diet: Choose Cloudy Apple Juice

Staff Photo

Cloudy apple juices may contain up to four times the amount of protective polyphenols compared to clear apple juices, suggests a study in the January 2007 Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (Oszmianski J, Wolniak M, et al.) Polyphenols in apples, including their flavonoids, have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer-preventive properties.

FULL STORY:

Researchers from the Agricultural University of Wroclaw and the Medical University of Warsaw evaluated the polyphenolic content of clear and cloudy apple juices from Idared and Champion varieties. Cloudy juices, especially those prepared from the Champion variety, had a much higher content of procyanidins (a type of flavonoid) than clear juices.

According to the study, the process of producing clear apple juice involves adding enzymes to remove the pectin and starch content of the cloudy juice—a process that may also lessen the polyphenol content of the clear juice produced.

The researchers found that while cloudy juice from Champion apples contained 1,044 milligrams of polyphenols per liter, clear juice made from Idared apples contained only 250 milligrams per liter.

When the juices' ability to neutralize free radicals was measured, cloudy Champion apple juice neutralized 93% of the radicals after 3 minutes, compared to only 24% for the clear Idared juice.

Reference:

Oszmianski J, Wolniak M, Wojdylo A, Wawer I. Comparative study of polyphenolic content and antiradical activity of cloudy and clear apple juices. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Published Online: 15 Jan 2007.

Related Topics:

• Apple Juice May Boost Memory
• An Apple for Your Thoughts

Technorati Tags: health and wellness, natural foods, diet, apple juice