What's the Difference Between Apple Cider and Apple Juice?

What's the Difference Between Apple Cider and Apple Juice?

What's the difference between apple cider and apple juice? While they share a common fruity origin, the two have their differences. And before you and your family hop in the car and head to a local farm stand to do some apple picking and grab an apple-y beverage, you might be curious to read on and learn if you're more of an apple cider person or an apple juice person. After all, the United States' apple industry brings in close to $20 billion each year!

If that isn't enough, there are about a million delicious apple recipes to try: applesauce, apple butter, poached apples, apple pie, apple muffins, caramel apples, and even grilled apples, to name a few. And while any amateur can tell the difference between an apple pie and an apple cake, the difference between apple cider and apple juice can be a whole lot tricker. At some point through the years, the words “apple cider” evolved to mean something different here in the United States as opposed to the rest of the world. Lucky for you, we've got everything you need to get to the core of the apple juice/apple cider issue.

Photo credit: Blank Archives
Photo credit: Blank Archives

Where does apple cider come from?

Making beverages from apples dates back to about 55 B.C., when the Romans conquered continental Europe and introduced the production of hard cider. Fast-forward a few thousand years to the colonization of America, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t drink apple cider on the regular. Many settlers believed fermented apple cider drinks were safer to drink than water. America’s most famous apple tree farmer, Johnny Appleseed (Chapman), also played a role in the rapid growth of the apple cider industry. He sprinkled seeds far and wide which produced “spitters.” These were the best apples for making hard cider because they were small and tart, unlike cooking apples. Let’s all raise a warm glass to Johnny and his entrepreneurial skills, shall we?

Why did alcoholic apple cider fall out of favor?

The introduction of other beverages led to decreased consumption of what we now refer to as hard apple cider (an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juices of apples). You can blame beer and the colas as well as other factors like urbanization and prohibition for the demise of this alcoholic drink's consumption, and it also led to America's somewhat different definition of the word "cider" as opposed to the rest of the world.

How do we define apple cider today?

The United States and parts of Canada now define apple cider as an unfiltered, unsweetened, nonalcoholic beverage made from pressed apples that still contains some pulp or sediment. Its color is more opaque than apple juice and has a shorter shelf life of about 7 to 10 days refrigerated. If some apple cider is left unrefrigerated (particularly one that is unpasteurized), fermentation will begin, and it will eventually turn into "hard" cider.

So what's apple juice exactly?

Remember that beverage you enjoyed after nap time in preschool? That would be apple juice. Essentially apple juice is apple cider that has been heated to change the color, flavor, and texture. The color is transparent, and the flavor is sweeter. Apple juice has a smooth texture because it’s usually strained to eliminate pulp and sediment found in more traditional apple cider. With all of the added preservatives found in apple juice, it can last for months unopened on shelves or refrigerated.

Which is better for you? Apple cider or apple juice?

The amount of calories, sugar, and vitamins are about the same in apple cider and apple juice. When cider is filtered to make juice, it does lose some of its nutritional properties, including polyphenol compounds, thought to reduce the risk of some cancers. Of course your healthiest choice would be to eat an actual apple, which gives you fiber in addition to the other nutrients.

Can apple juice be substituted for apple cider in recipes?

Good news! If you’re in a bind, you can substitute cider with apple juice in a recipe. Just make sure it's unsweetened apple juice, so your recipe isn’t too far off from its original flavor profile. If you don’t have unsweetened apple juice on hand, you can reduce the sugar in your recipe.

So now you've got the knowledge necessary to take your pick when it comes to consuming your apple a day—whole, cider, juice, or hard cider!

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