easy homemade apple cider

This delicious homemade apple cider is sure to be a hit this fall. Raw and unfiltered apple cider can help boost your immune system. These apples typically pertain to Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.

• Apples contain antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation, protect against cancer, and support heart health. 
• Fiber Apples are high in fiber, which can help with digestion, weight loss, and blood sugar control.

What’s the difference between Apple Cider and Apple Juice?

Apple Juice is typically pasteurized and filtered while apple cider is usually unpasteurized and unfiltered. Apple cider is easier to find during the fall months, but difficult during other times of the year. As a result, apple juice has a longer shelf life than apple cider. Apple Juice also has a sweeter taste and smoother texture than apple cider.

Picking Apples

We are able to pick gallons of apples each year from my grandpas ranch. Apple cider has been a fan favorite at our house and is one way we enjoy using our apples. We love enjoying a nice cold cup of apple cider on a warm day. It just tastes so good.

One day we will enjoy a warm cup of apple cider in front of our fireplace.

We love making different food and drinks with our apples we get each year. We enjoy this traditional style of apple cider, but you can get fancy and add in some different fruits or even a cinnamon stick to your drink. Making our own means we can put in whatever makes us feel good and whatever we find tastes the best. This apple cider is a great way to get fruit into our kids’ bodies and our own bodies besides eating. It’s also way more fun to drink your fruit versus chew it all the time.

Healthiest Apples

Red Delicious are the healthiest apples for people. They have more polyphenolic compounds than many other apples. Most of the nutrition is in the skin, so be sure not to peel these apples, eat the skin and all. These apples also contain more anthocyanidins which provide their color and powerful antioxidants.

Eat an apple a day

Eating an apple a day can have many healthy benefits including the list below. As a result of the benefits below eating a medium size apple each day is best.

Benefits of Apples

• Vitamin C- which is an antioxidant and helps with immune function.
• Potassium and Phosphorus-apples are high in both of these which is important for people with high blood pressure.
• Pectin-acts as a fiber as a prebiotic in the gut
• Quercetin-this may protect the brain from damage caused by oxidative stress
• Fisetin-is a compound that may protect against memory loss and may prevent Alzheimer’s

Apples are considered a nutrient dense fruit. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend two cups of fruit a day. Apples with the skin will give the most health benefits.

Facts to know about Apples

• Apples will ripen 6-10 times faster at room temperature than in the refrigerator https://www.appleholler.com/apple-fun-facts-2/
• It takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider https://www.appleholler.com/apple-fun-facts-2/
• Apple trees can live to roughly 100 years old
• There are about 2,500 varieties of apples in the United States
• Apples come in different shades of red, yellow, and green
• Two pounds of apples is a good amount to make one 9 inch pie
• Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruits.
• Apple Pie is not American as many people see it is associated with, but a European dessert

Best Apples to Use for Homemade Apple Cider

As you see there are so many different apple variations. I am not an expert at which ones to use or not to use. Please check out the book Apples of Uncommon Character by Rowan Jacobsen. Rowan has a list of his favorite apple cider apples with an explanation of each one. With that said, I don’t think you can go too wrong with any apples and a mixture of a few is great as well.

Health Facts

• Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free
• Approximately two-thirds of the fiber is in the apple peel
• One apple has about 5 grams of fiber
• A medium apple is about 80 calories

Ever wondered why apples Float?

Have you ever seen kids bobbing for apples? Or have you seen apples in a bowl of water floating? Apples are able to float because they are 25% full of air. Apples are less dense then water.

How to store Homemade Apple Cider?

Apple cider stores best in an air tight container for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. If you want to have it around for a lot longer then you can put apple cider in an air tight container in the freezer. Make sure you leave a little room in the jar.

Another way to store apple cider is through the canning process.

Canning Homemade Apple Cider

1, Preparing-Sanitize jars and lids

2. Simmering- Do not boil apple cider, but allow to simmer

3. Fill Jars-Place hot apple cider into hot jars leaving 1/4″ of headspace

4. Preparing-Wipe Rims with vinegar and place lid on top

5. Process- Place jars in waterbath canner for 5-10 minutes, depending on jar size and altitude

6. Cooling- Remove canner from heat, wait 5 minutes and then remove jars without tilting

7. Check- Let set for 24 hours and check to see if the lids have sealed

8. Store-Remove rings, wipe jars, and set in a cool, dry, and dark place

Flavor

We have found we do not need to add any sweetener to our apple cider. It is sweet enough with just the sugars from the apples. However, if you find you would like your apple cider sweeter then adding some brown sugar or honey are two excellent choices. For extra flavor adding a cinnamon stick is a nice touch to a delicious apple cider drink.

Using a Juicer

I use the Aicok juicer makes it fun and easy for kids. Children of all ages can help be a part of the apple cider making day. It is nice to use if you just make a little apple cider or if you plan to make a lot it definitely has been nice to have. We have been using this apple juicer for about four years.

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Fruit and Vegetable Juicer

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More ways we love to use apples

• Applesauce
• Apple Pie Filling
• Apple Fritters

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