Naturally sweet and flavoursome, apple juice is an easy way to bolster your five a day. Juice isn't just for kids, with new varieties making for an enjoyable alternative to cider. From the benefits of cold-pressed apple juice, to the recommended sugar content, for this article we've partnered with Nutritionist Tara Corbett to check and review all the facts!
However, not all apple juices are made equal. That's why we've put together this handy buying guide, complete with our ranking of the top 10 best. To help you choose the perfect refreshment, we've compared the UK's favourite juices, with apple-tastic drinks from Waitrose, Cawston Press, Copella and more.
Quick List - Top Apple Juice
mybest UK specialist Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through their nutrition. Tara specialises in helping busy parents specifically improve their eating with ease and without overwhelm, and get back on track so the whole family can benefit.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
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Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients to lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through better nutrition. She specialises in helping busy parents improve their diets without overwhelming them with information, and get them back on track so that the whole family can benefit.
Cold-pressed juice refers to juice made in a hydraulic press, as opposed to methods such as using a centrifugal or single auger, meaning that it fully extracts all of the nutrients. This type of juice is hence made from 100% apples, with the only other added ingredients being antioxidants and, occasionally, vitamins.
While cold-pressed juice is the best type in terms of taste and nourishment because it retains all of the nutritional benefits of the fruit, it's also usually the most expensive one. But if health is a top priority, it certainly is worth the higher price to ensure there has been no added sugar and preservatives.
Freshly squeezed apple juice will only keep for two or three days in the fridge before it starts fermenting, so lots of producers pasteurise it to ensure that it stays fresh for longer. During the pasteurisation process, apple juice is heated to 71-74 degrees centigrade, which kills any bacteria or organisms that could cause it to spoil.
The downside of pasteurising apple juice is that it also kills off some of the nutrients, but as this kind of drink can be stored for a longer time, it's a convenient (and usually more affordable) choice.
When fruit juice is labelled as "from concentrate", this means that most of the water content has been extracted. Removing the water reduces bacteria growth and prolongs the shelf life of the juice. It also cuts down packaging, storage, and transportation costs for those producing it.
Juice from concentrate is often thought of as inferior to juice that is not from concentrate, however this isn't necessarily the case. Whilst some juice concentrates do contain added sweeteners, those made from 100% fruit are only sweetened by their own natural sugars.
As a result, 100% fruit concentrates that have nothing added not only provide vitamins and antioxidants, but they're much cheaper to buy than other kinds.
We've also ranked the 10 best cranberry juices for a vitamin-rich start to your day!
Some products are simply labelled "apple juice", but the pick of the crop will detail the specific apple varieties used. Cox's Orange Pippin is widely acknowledged as having the most flavour, sweetness, and bite of any apple variety, so it's used in many of the best juices.
The sharpness of the Bramley apple produces a dry, refreshing juice, while the Braeburn creates a crisp, tangy flavour. Jonagold apples have tropical hints and the Gala variety have a mellow taste that appeals to everyone.
If you're especially interested in trying English varieties that are grown locally, try super sweet Red or Golden Delicious apples, which kids love. Or, go for apple juice made from the Pink Lady to shake things up - both sugary and tart, it has a sharp bite and effervescent finish.
Top Tip: Try mixing apply juice with a dash of ginger beer for a tasty, non-alcoholic sparkling drink!
As this article is about the best apple juices available, it doesn't contain any juices with added sugar. However, it's still important to check the sugar content before buying - after all, naturally occurring sugars can still amount to a whole load of sucrose, fructose, and glucose in one innocent-looking glass of juice!
For an average-sized adult who exercises regularly, the recommended daily intake of sugar is 90 g. However, as this is the maximum amount, it's a good idea to consume less if possible. Plus, when totalling up your daily intake, you should also consider your size and exercise level.
For those still unsure about how much to drink, here's our rule of thumb to help you out. When it comes to juice, more than 22.5g of total sugars per 150 ml is considered to be a high amount, whereas 5g of total sugars per 100ml is low.
While many of us really enjoy drinking apple juice, it's not exactly a new-fangled drink - chances are you've been drinking it for most of your life! So if you want to try something a bit different, read on.
Try kombucha for a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cawston Press Apple Juice|1 L | ![]() | 10 Whole Apples Cold Pressed Into Every Carton | |
2 | Copella Cloudy Apple Juice|900 ml | ![]() | Fresh-Tasting Juice Made in the Suffolk Countryside | |
3 | Coldpress Pink Lady Apple Juice|750 ml | ![]() | Hand-Picked Pink Lady Apples With Vitamins B,C,D and E | |
4 | Cawston Press Apple & Ginger Juice|1 L | ![]() | A Deliciously Cloudy Juice With a Hint of Ginger | |
5 | Appletiser Sparkling Apple Juice|750 ml | ![]() | Gently Sparkling Apple Juice That's Perfect for Parties | |
6 | Waitrose No.1 English Apple Juice|1 L | ![]() | Juice Blended From a Variety of English Apples | |
7 | Waitrose Pressed Apple Juice with Elderflower|1 L | ![]() | Elderflower-Infused Apple Juice Perfect for Ice Lollies | |
8 | Innocent Apple Juice|1.35 L | ![]() | Pasteurised Apple Juice Bursting With Flavour | |
9 | Waitrose Pressed Apple Juice|1 L | ![]() | Great Value Apple Juice for Everyday | |
10 | Belvoir Farm Pink Lady Sparkling Apple Juice|750 ml | ![]() | Sparkling Pink Apple Juice Made From 100% Natural Ingredients |
In at the top spot, we've got a real cloudy one! This scrumptious apple juice from Cawston Press is tart yet sweet and it tastes just like homemade! The beautiful, delectable flavour reminds us of childhood summers spent outdoors.
Cawston Press are a small(ish) company with superior knowledge of apple varieties and how to make the best juice around. They use a blend of British apples like Cox's Orange Pippin, Bramley, and Braeburn to create a delicate flavour with just the right amount of sweetness and bite. Without a doubt, this one's our winner!
Copella's cloudy apple juice is one of the most popular fruity beverages out there, and with good reason! Pressed at Boxford Farm in the Suffolk countryside, the seasonal apples are carefully hand-picked. Expert apple tasters then check the process to ensure that only the best fruit is used.
Skillfully blending 25 varieties of apples is no simple feat, but Copella makes it look easy and produces a wonderfully smooth drink. Although the apples are fresh rather than pasteurised, this juice still lasts for at least a week in the fridge - so you can enjoy a glass whenever you fancy it!
This juice from Coldpress feels like the height of glamour when it comes to juice choices - who doesn't love a Pink Lady apple? Made from 100% cold-pressed apples, not only is it naturally packed with nutrients, but a variety of vitamins have been added too: B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D and E.
Using only single region, hand-picked Pink Lady apples, this super juice gives you one of your five a day in the highest quality way. The added vitamins also help with your body's functions such as reducing fatigue and giving you more energy. Yum and yay!
If you love fruit juice, Cawston Press is a hard company to beat. Their wide range of sparkling and pressed juices, fruit waters, and sparkling waters is really impressive. Plus, they like to keep things natural, often blending botanical extracts and herbs into their drinks too - this cloudy Apple and Ginger Juice being a noteworthy example.
Made from pressed apple juice, ginger extract, and vitamin C, this beverage is one of Cawston Press' bestsellers. You can even warm it up on the stove or in the microwave - the fiery root ginger and sweet apples make this the ultimate autumnal drink to cosy up with.
When you think of fizzy apple juice, Appletiser is the brand that comes to most people's minds! Made from 100% from concentrate apple juice with no added sugar, it's the ideal fizzy alternative to alcohol or sugary drinks.
Best served chilled, Appletiser has a brilliant balance of acidity that makes it the perfect substitute for an evening cider. It also contains one of your five a day - not bad for a fizzy drink! We find the eco-friendly glass bottle super satisfying to drink from too.
A slightly more expensive option from Waitrose's range, this flavoursome juice is blended from Cox, Gala, and Braeburn apples, as well as other English varieties. Naturally sweet but balanced, this blend tastes quintessentially British!
Surprisingly, considering the price, this juice is pasteurised rather than cold-pressed. The result is still totally delicious though and the huge one-litre container should last you ages.
Apple and elderflower make a delicious combination and our second offering from Waitrose's own label harnesses these two yummy flavours into one gorgeous drink. Made from pressed apple juice, apple purée, and elderflower extract, it's basically summer in liquid form!
Speaking of summer, if you pour this juice into moulds and pop in the freezer it makes refreshingly fruity ice lollies. This product is pasteurised to make it last longer but it does contain added fibre too - not bad for the low price!
Innocent produces apple juice in a variety of different-sized bottles, but we think the family size one is the best for sharing. Made from 12 pressed apples, it also has a dash of antioxidant vitamin C in the form of added ascorbic acid. This juice is bursting with life - and after drinking it, you will be too!
The wide-necked container it comes in is super convenient and easy to use, so none of your precious juice will be spilt when you pour yourself a glass. However, as this is a pasteurised product, it doesn't contain as many essential nutrients and vitamins as other options on our list.
If you're looking for an own-brand apple juice to save the pennies, you could do a lot worse than Waitrose's pasteurised product. Refreshing and tangy, this is a good low-budget choice for your weekly shop.
As it's not from concentrate, drinking a glass of this juice is a cheap and easy way to up your fruit intake. However, some reviewers have been disappointed to learn that the apples used are from Spain and the Netherlands, rather than the UK. If you're not fussed about where your apples come from though, this product isn't bad at all for the price.
If you're after a grown-up apple juice, we recommend this sparkling drink from Belvoir. Ideal for sipping over the summer months, the light and sweet taste of Pink Lady apple is complimented perfectly by a hint of elderberry, the fruit of the same plant as elderflower.
Despite being from concentrate, this juice is made from 100% natural ingredients, with no added sugar. Better yet, Belvoir's supplier is both FSA Gold certified, with all fruits grown to Global GAP standards.
Yes, apple juice can be consumed as part of a balanced, healthy diet, providing you drink it in moderation. We recommend sticking to a 150 ml serving of juice made without any added sugars or sweeteners. It's also advised to dilute apple juice with water when giving it to kids.
Pure apple juice is packed full of vitamins and minerals that can have a positive effect on our overall health. For example, it contains potassium, flavonoids and polyphenol, all of which have been shown to be beneficial to heart health. It even provides a source of electrolytes, that may aid in recovery from mild forms of dehydration.
Written and researched by Melanie McPhail
No. 1: Cawston Press|Apple Juice|1 L
No. 2: Copella|Cloudy Apple Juice|900 ml
No. 3: Coldpress |Pink Lady Apple Juice|750 ml
No. 4: Cawston Press|Apple & Ginger Juice|1 L
No. 5: Appletiser|Sparkling Apple Juice|750 ml
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