Need sweet drink? Try apple cider
Last of two parts.
The reality is that water, seltzer and unsweetened iced tea are always the best drink choices. But if you want the occasional "calorie-laden" drink/dessert that also has some health benefits, apple cider might do the trick.
-âWhy: It's pretty tasty, for starters, and there are many important health components in apple cider, especially bioactive, functional food components, including vitamins (mostly C) and phenolics.
-âHealth perks: In several epidemiological studies, apple consumption has been associated with a decreased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and asthma.
Apples are loaded with flavonoids such as quercetin, which is important for keeping blood vessels healthy, reducing inflammation throughout the body, preventing DNA damage that can lead to cancer and slowing cancer cell growth and reproduction. One study, from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, stated that apples may reduce the risk for lung and colon cancer.
In terms of cardiovascular health, properties in apples decrease lipid oxidation, which helps to delay the breakdown of LDL or "bad" cholesterol. When LDL oxidizes in the blood, plaque accumulates along the walls of the coronary artery and causes atherosclerosis. Scientific research also suggests that apples could help fight off Alzheimer's disease.
According to scientists at Cornell University, the antioxidant concentration in apples is among the highest of all fruits and similar to that of store-purchased blueberries (wild blueberries are the highest), which are often touted as having the highest antioxidant activity.
The antioxidant content of apples was originally underestimated because bound phenolics (phenolics that survive stomach digestion) weren't included, and the phenolics in apples are more bioavailable Â- meaning they are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream Â than those of many other fruits.
Apple cider is made from the liquid portion of the apple. Therefore, some important functional components that stay within the skins and flesh may not be in the cider. So, it's still better to eat an apple than to drink a cup of cider.
Typically, commercially prepared cider is just juice, but supermarkets, specialty stores and farm markets often have the real stuff. Apple cider is made from pressed apples; the idea is to keep the pulp, and some makers even keep the peel (the most powerful source of health benefits). To get the most from your apple cider, make sure to get real apple cider, which is cloudy because it's not filtered like apple juice.
Have apple cider a few times during the winter, and make sure to eat a real apple every day - yes, to keep the doctor away.
Nutrition: One cup: 120 calories; 0 g fat; 30 g carbs; 0 g fiber; 0 g protein.
CHARLES PLATKIN, Ph.D., is a nutrition and public health advocate and founder of DietDetective.com. His column appears every Thursday.