Winter is cider season. Everyone loves the refreshing zip of spiced apple cider on a cold afternoon. But did you know that your hot cup of tangy juice may also provide a nice boost of health?
Benefit 1: Cider is Packed With Vitamin C
Apple cider has a 100% of your daily vitamin C needs in just one cup. Yes, that one little late afternoon drink can give all the vitamin C your body needs for the entire day. Vitamin C plays crucial roles in several of your body’s basic functions, from healing wounds to maintain the strength of your teeth, according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM). NLM also reminds us that your “body is not able to make vitamin C on its own, and it does not store vitamin C. It is therefore important to include plenty of vitamin C-containing foods in your daily diet.”
Benefit 2: Cider is Low in Calories
Apple cider drinks are also extremely low in calories. Unlike many drinks—even fruit juices—cider won’t stuff your system with empty calories. Empty calories are a major problem with juice (and drinks in general); liquids do not make people feel full, so with many drinks, it’s easy to take in a whole lot of unneeded calories without satisfying your hunger. Not so with apple cider. You’ll be able to drink plenty of the stuff without a worry. (Different brands will have varying nutrients, so check your nutrition labels before assuming that all ciders are low in calories.)
Benefit 3: Cider Can Lift Your Mood
While obviously not a treatment for serious emotional conditions, cider can make you feel better. Just think about the last time you sipped a hot, cinnamon-dusted apple drink on a late November evening. Good memory, probably. You felt pretty great, right? That good flavor, the warmth in your belly, and just the simple act of taking a few minutes to sit down, breathe deeply, and sip a hot cup of flavor will help you relax. Nothing beats stress like a few minutes of good hot cider. (Just remember not to make it too hot! Spilling a scalding hot drink on your skin can cause serious personal injury!)
Benefit 4: Cider Helps You Get Your Liquids
According to Mayo Clinic’s website, getting plenty of liquids daily is essential to pretty much every process and task your body does to keep you going. Getting enough liquids helps you digest your food, rinse out your systems, and make you feel energetic. Cider, with its lack of sugars, caffeine, and sodium, is a great way to get that liquid. The rich, warm flavor of cider may make it easier for you to get your daily water intake.
Benefit 5: Cider Might Make You Smell Better
According to LiveStrong.com, cider alters your skin’s ph values, destroying stinky bacteria and leaving you smelling fresh and clean. While research does not offer specifics about success rates or the amount of daily cider needed to make this work, the idea behind it is interesting. If it works, great! If it doesn’t, what have you got to lose? You’re still sipping a sweet nutritious drink and avoiding empty calories.
