Like other foods from the Fruit Group, apple juice contains no fat and virtually no sodium. Consumers can enjoy an additional benefit by drinking apple juice that is fortified with vitamin C. Apple juice also contains phytonutrients that are newly discovered food components that occur naturally in plant foods. These nutrients may provide important health benefits similar to the antioxidants we hear so much about. Apple juice is the juice most often recommended by pediatricians as the first beverage fed to babies and toddlers after breast milk or formula. Its relatively mild acidity makes it easy for most babies to tolerate.
Babies love the sweet taste of apple juice, so it is easily accepted.
Also, apple juice has a mild laxative effect that may help provide relief from constipation commonly experienced by little ones. Raw apples are processed into apple juice after they are put through a handling process designed to remove external surface dirt and topical chemical residues. Like milk, many juices have been heat treated to help them last longer and kill bacteria that may have occurred prior to or during processing. Nutrients and flavor are generally not affected by this process. Shelf stable and frozen fruit juices have been pasteurized or heat-treated.