The Unique Type Of Apple Juice That Can Help Lower High Cholesterol

Fruit juices without any added sugars can be a good choice if you're looking for a naturally sweet beverage. However, it can be hard to know which juice to pick. One way to choose is to identify a juice that will help you achieve your short-term and lasting health goals. 

For instance, if you want to lower your cholesterol levels, you could look for a juice known for its cholesterol-reduction properties. Ideally, you'll want to try one that's high in polyphenols. In a 2020 study in Nutrients, participants who consumed foods containing high amounts of polyphenols exhibited an increase in their high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. The researchers concluded that eating polyphenol-heavy foods could be beneficial to those at risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic issues. Granted, this doesn't mean that your cholesterol will immediately plummet if you begin to drink beverages that contain polyphenols. But it's a reason to be selective about the fruit juices you partner meals. 

Among fruit juices that exhibit high polyphenol content, apple juice is a clear winner — but its clear varieties aren't your best bets. Instead, opt for cloudier apple juice for an extra polyphenol boost.

"Cloudy" apple juice is similar to clear apple juice, but with bits and pieces of apple pulp that haven't been extracted during the typical juice-making process. And these pulpy bits are the reason why this kind of juice is rich in polyphenols.

The impressive polyphenol content of cloudy apple juice compared with its clear counterpart was highlighted in a 2007 study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Per the researchers, cloudy apple juice was found to offer four times more polyphenols than clear apple juice. 

A 2023 study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis supports the 2007 study's results. After comparing commercially available apple juices, researchers found that cloudy apple juice contained more polyphenols than clear apple juice. They also noted that consumers were beginning to seek out cloudy apple juice as an alternative to other types of apple juice.

In a 2021 review in Foods, researchers acknowledged that polyphenols appeared to be legitimately helpful in bringing down LDL cholesterol. For instance, in one study, mice that were given cloudy apple juice for three weeks exhibited a 74% reduction in their LDL plasma levels. However, the exact mechanism that fuels polyphenols' cholesterol-lowering attributes isn't totally understood yet. Therefore, more studies are required to determine precisely why polyphenols seem to be advantageous for people who want to lower their cholesterol.

If you want to add cloudy apple juice to your regular diet but don't see it in the general foods aisle of your supermarket, check out the section where natural foods are sold. Organic apple juice brands frequently offer cloudy apple juice choices. You can also increase your intake of polyphenols by incorporating other polyphenol-powered foods into your diet, such as flaxseed, nuts, artichokes, tea, and dark chocolate.