Apple juice is one of the most healthy and delicious drinks that every domestic consumer can enjoy today. It belongs to the category of structured products that enrich the human body with useful vitamins and minerals. About how to properly make apple juice at home, and what kind of culture to use for this - further in the article.
Calorie content and chemical composition
Fresh apple is not just a tasty and affordable drink, it is rightly considered a natural storehouse of vitamins and minerals, as it has a rich, multifaceted chemical composition.
It contains vitamins:
- Group B: take part in energy metabolism, normalize the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, relieve nervous tension, fight depression and insomnia;
- AND: normalizes visual function, participates in protein synthesis, is required for the formation of new cells;
- E: prevents the aging of the skin and body, accelerates the regeneration of epidermal cells, protects against the negative effects of the environment;
- C (ascorbic acid): increases the protective functions of the body, helps fight viruses and infections, strengthens the immune system;
- PP: takes part in protein metabolism, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails, reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood.
Of the mineral components in the composition of juice from apples, one can distinguish:
- calcium: it is necessary for the normal formation of skeleton bones, strengthens bone and muscle tissue, helps strengthen immunity;
- magnesium: normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, takes part in cellular metabolism, reduces the negative impact of external factors;
- sodium: necessary for the full growth and development of the body, maintains a normal water-salt balance in the cells, regulates the volume of fluid;
- phosphorus: strengthens tooth tissue, takes an active part in the process of cell division, provides energy-exchange processes in tissue cells;
- iron: improves blood composition, prevents the development of anemia, saturates the blood with oxygen, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and capillaries;
- manganese: improves the functioning of the nervous system, prevents the deposition of fat in the liver, normalizes fat and water metabolism;
- zinc: participates in carbohydrate metabolism, ensures normal digestion, improves skin condition, strengthens hair and nails.
In addition, apple juice contains fiber, dietary fiber, and pectin. The nutritional value of the product is:
- proteins - 0.4 g;
- fats - 0.4 g;
- carbohydrates - 9.8 g.
The drink belongs to the category of low-calorie foods in which 100 ml account for only 42 kcal.
Did you know? Juice from apples is the most popular in the Russian Federation. Its consumption is over 35% of other similar products.
Apple Juice Properties
Apples are characterized by a rich chemical composition, which determines a wide range of their beneficial properties and beneficial effects on all systems of the human body. Due to the high concentration of ascorbic acid, apple juice makes it possible to increase the body's resistance to the harmful effects of external factors, supports the normal functioning of the immune system, and takes an active part in the formation of new cells.
The vitamins contained in the drink, necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Their lack is able to provoke nervous disorders, depression, fears and nervousness. Regular use of the product allows you to activate brain activity, relieve tension and stress, increase learning ability.
A number of mineral components in the juice positively affect the digestive tract, accelerate metabolic processes and metabolism, improve the digestive tract, relieve constipation. Pectins support the normal functioning of the kidneys and liver, reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood, and contribute to safe weight loss.
- Experts recommend using healthy drink to people of all ages:
- it helps children to increase the level of hemoglobin, establish sleep and the work of the digestive tract;
- it helps older people to prevent the development of atherosclerosis, normalizes blood pressure, and reduces the risk of senility;
- juice allows women to preserve youth, prevent premature aging, improve skin and hair condition;
- for men, an apple drink is useful in that it reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, makes it possible to quickly recover after exhausting physical and mental stress, and helps to eliminate the consequences of a “stormy evening”.
- In addition, apple juice:
- strengthens the heart and blood vessels;
- increases the tone of the body;
- has a diuretic and choleretic effect;
- protects from radiation;
- destroys microbes with infectious ailments;
- normalizes night sleep;
- normalizes bowel function.
Important! Despite the pronounced therapeutic properties of apple juice, they can not be abused. The maximum daily dose of a drink for a healthy adult is 1 liter.
Features of the choice of product and kitchen equipment for the procedure
Apple juice is a drink made from various varieties of apples. The taste, color and aroma of the drink will depend on the variety of fruit. Taste qualities of the product are determined by tannins, organic acids and sugars, which are part of its composition. And here The aroma of the drink depends on the type of essential oils that make up the apples.
Not all apple varieties are suitable for making a drink. Some fruits have too soft and friable structure and after squeezing form more cake than juice.
For the preparation of apple fresh crunchy, with a solid structure, juicy, ripened fruits with a sweet and sour taste are excellent
Fruits should not have signs of various diseases, spoilage or rot. It is better to give preference to winter varieties of culture, since their fruits have a more pronounced taste and aroma.
Antonovka is considered one of the best varieties for making juice at home, because in the fruits of the described culture useful substances are stored for several months. You can also use varieties: Anise, Aport, Golden Delishes, Freedom, Cosmonaut Titov.
Important! Experts do not advise using too large, bright, plain fruits for preparing apple blanks, since, most likely, they were processed with various chemical preparations to maintain their attractive appearance.
At home, making apple juice is pretty easy if you have a juicer. However, if it is not on the farm, then in order to squeeze out juice, simple folk methods available to every consumer will help.
In the process of preparing a drink, you must first prepare the following kitchen utensils:
- ordinary grater;
- piece of gauze;
- a pot;
- kitchen knife;
- glass containers for juice.
How to get juice without a juicer at home
There are many ways that you can quickly and easily get a homemade apple drink. However, 3 of them are the most popular, which we will consider.
Using gauze and grater
The method of preparing a drink using a grater and gauze is considered the most simple, budget, easy and fast.
1 l30 minutes
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Rinse apples, cut into 4 parts, remove the core with seeds.
- Grate the apple flesh.
- Place a sieve on the pan into which to put gauze folded into several layers.
- Grated raw materials put on cheesecloth, wait until the juice drains.
- Gauze to collect over the edges, squeeze out the remaining liquid.
- Add sugar to the resulting drink.
If the juice is planned to be prepared for the winter, then it should be brought to a boil, poured into glass jars and rolled up with metal lids.
Did you know? Nutritionists advise to consume from 150 to 300 ml of apple juice daily. One glass of the drink is able to satisfy the daily need of a person in potassium by 10%, in pectins - by 25%, in chlorogenic acids - by 100%.
Using a blender
1 L45 minutes
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Rinse apples, peel, divide into 4 parts, remove the core.
- Grind the pulp with a blender.
- Place the resulting raw materials in a napkin or gauze, tie in a knot, place under a press. Instead of the press, you can use, for example, a 3-liter jar filled with water.
- When the liquid ceases to stand out, you need to drain it into a separate container, sweeten if necessary.
The remaining apple pulp can be reused. To do this, it must be placed in a pan, pour hot water (1 kg of cake for 200 ml of water), boil for 10 minutes, strain. The resulting drink is excellent for making compotes, jellies, desserts, etc.
Diffusion method
3 cans of 3 liters 7-8 hours
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Rinse the fruit, peel it, remove the core, cut into slices up to 1 cm thick.
- Place the sliced slices in a jar, pour boiling water over it.
- After 6 hours, pour the liquid into a separate pan, bring to a boil (do not boil!). In the second jar, put sliced apple slices, pour water from the pan.
- Fill container number 1 with boiling water.
- Next, repeat the steps according to the algorithm: from the tank No. 2, pour the heated juice into a No. 3 jar with chopped apples. Then from No. 1 to No. 2. Fill the first container with clean boiling water.
- Repeat all steps, only leave container # 1 empty. Thus, gradually all banks are emptied.
- Pour the finished juice into sterilized jars and roll up.
Important! Repeatedly infused juice is very saturated, concentrated and aromatic. The more cans are used, the more degrees of insisting will be and the better the quality of the drink will be.
How to cook apple juice
An apple drink, as a rule, is procured for the winter in large quantities. However, to make it tasty, healthy and fragrant, when preparing it, several important rules should be considered:
- certain apple varieties are used for the product: Antonovka, Anis, Grushovka, Aport;
- to make it easier to squeeze the juice, the fruit is crushed using a grater, blender, meat grinder;
- when chopping fruits, you can’t bring them to a pulp consistency, since it will be quite difficult to get pure juice from such raw materials;
- for pressing use a hand press or squeeze the liquid with a napkin, gauze;
- during the spin cycle, its speed is taken into account: when the bottle is pressed quickly, the drink turns cloudy, but you cannot squeeze the juice for too long, because when it comes in contact with air, it starts to oxidize and may turn sour;
- the drink, which turned out to be very dark, is clarified: for this, it is given time to stand for a while, then filtered through gauze, poured into a separate container and put in a water bath, the liquid is brought to a boil, removed from the bath and placed in a container filled with cold water, juice stand for several hours, filter.
Video: Making Apple Juice
If the process of squeezing apples was carried out correctly, then with 10 kg of raw materials, about 5-6 liters of juice should be obtained, depending on the juiciness of the fruits.
Did you know? German scientists from the city of Heidelberg have proved that regular consumption of apples and juice from them reduces the risk of developing cancer, in particular, cancer of the lungs, colon, breast, ovaries.
Terms and basic storage rules
Freshly squeezed apple juice has a wide range of valuable qualities that lose their benefits after 12 hours. Such a drink quickly darkens, becomes cloudy, deteriorates. It can be extended up to 24 hours if mixed with lemon juice. To store the drink in the refrigerator, it must be tightly closed with a lid, thereby preventing contact with air, as a result of which it quickly oxidizes and darkens. Any glass container will do: bottle, can.
Of course, the best way to save a drink for the winter is to preserve it. To do this, the squeezed product should be brought to a boil, slightly sweetened and rolled into glass containers. In this form, it can be stored for several months, provided:
- stable temperature indicators not higher than + 15 ° С;
- relative humidity of 70–90%;
- far from light sources, direct sunlight;
- a dry, well-ventilated area.
Important! When the drink is heated, a certain amount of useful elements in its composition is destroyed, but the taste becomes more delicate and soft.
Experts do not recommend pouring a fermented apple drink. It is able to become an excellent basis for the preparation of marinade for meat, for kneading on bread, dough for dumplings.
Apple juice is an extremely healthy, tasty and, most importantly, affordable product that everyone has the opportunity to cook on their own in an apartment. Regular consumption of the drink allows you to saturate the body with vital components and minerals, as well as fill it with energy, strength and youth.
