Better Than an Apple a Day

"Better than an apple a day" - Sun Herald August 28 2006.

A glass of cider may be better than an apple a day at keeping the doctor away. Researchers believe chemicals in English cider apples can protect against stroke, heart disease and cancer. They now plan to test the theory on 12 willing volunteers, who will each down a pint of cider.

The scientists will check samples of their blood and urine to see if drinking scrumpy passes the disease-fighting antioxidants into the body. The compounds, called phenolics, play an important role in giving cider its taste and colour. But the researchers from the University of Glasgow suspect they also have major health benefits.

Study leader Dr Serena Marks said apples were high in phenolics. "And our research shows that cider apples have a higher phenolic content than dessert apples," she said. Dr Marks and her colleagues have measured phenolic levels in 19 varieties of English cider apple and 35 types of cider. They found that some kinds of apple and certain sorts of cider have more of the compounds than others. Factors affecting phenolic concentration are thought to include the age of the fruit, light exposure, growing region and storage conditions.

Volunteers will be asked to drink a 500ml dose of cider in a controlled environment.

Puts new meaning into Cheers and your good health.

Tony Thorogood cider maker extraordinair.