Report: Cider Drinkers Celebrate

Studies of a wide range of ciders have found that some contain high levels of phenolics - antioxidants linked to protection against stroke, heart disease and cancer.  There was a wide variation between the ciders analysed with the cider with the highest levels of the phenolics having more than forty times the amount than the cider with the lowest levels. Serena Marks, who heads up the cider research at the University of Glasgow, said, “Unit for unit, the top cider had levels of phenolics comparable to red wine.”

Research by Serena Marks, had previously identified that the particular apples used to make cider contained high levels of phenolics. This further research has confirmed that these phenolics do not get lost in the cider making process and are found at high levels in the final product. “The cider with the highest levels of phenolics had 18 times more phenolics than clear apple juice and seven times more phenolics than cloudy apple juice’, explains Serena. Apples and therefore cider also contain one particular phenolic which is unique to them, making a cider distinct from red wine.
Serena hopes that findings from her work may allow the production methods of cider to be adapted so that the phenolic levels remain high, even after fermentation. “The more information we can get about phenolics in cider and what happens to them in the body, the more chance we have of positively influencing the phenolic content of English cider, for example, helping manufacturers chose production processes that leave a higher levels of phenolic in the final product. This could mean that drinking a glass of cider is not only enjoyable, but a great way for people to naturally increase the amount of phenolics in their diet.”