Drinking cider

From Ukcider

Drinking cider

Drinking cider can be good for your health

Cider, one of Englands oldest alcoholic drinks, has long been thought to be beneficial to health, but there was never any proof, untill a study in 2007 revealed cider is rich in health improving antioxidants. The old saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away now also applies to a drop of cider as it's made from fermenting apple juice.

Scientists at Brewing Research International have confirmed high levels of health enhancing antioxidants in cider, on par with red wine, a drink long recognised has having health benefits. It is said that a half pint of cider delivers the same amount of antioxidants as what a glass of red wine does.

A diet rich in antioxidants may help to protect against disease, and our research confirms cider has the same levels of antioxidants as red wine. It is clear that cider has a good dose of antioxidants, and as nutrionists recommend a healthy diet should include plenty of antioxidants it could well be claimed that a glass of cider a day will keep the doctor away!!

For those who enjoy a glass of cider it is reassuring to know it may be healthy, too. But it is important that no-one drinks more than the recommended daily intake of alcohol, which for women is 2 to 3 units per day and for men, 3 to 4 units, an average cider having about 2.5 units per pint.

These findings comes as cider becomes increasingly popular. It overtook bitter for the first time in 2006, with £453million in off-licence and supermarket sales. This resurgence has been partly attributed to the "Magners effect", a £20million advertising campaign encouraging consumers to drink the Irish bottled cider over ice (!)

It was so successful at appealing to younger cider drinkers that its manufacturer, Tipperary-based Bulmers, had to import apples from England to keep up production levels. With the popularity of British brands also soaring, many orchards are being replanted for the first time in decades.