Apples at the heart of our juices and smoothies
10th May 2024
A viral post on X shocked people who had no idea apples were used in drinks as much as they are.
Users on X were shocked to discover how much apples are used in juices and smoothies.
The thread in question focused on 13 juices in a supermarket aisle.
It points out how the majority are made with 50 per cent apple juice – if not more.
This is despite not having apple in the name of the drink.
‘Applejuiceification’ and the illusion of choice
Included in the post was a Naked passion fruit, mango, and guava smoothie, containing 62 per cent apple juice.
An Innocent pink dragon fruit and lychee drink contains 70 per cent apple juice.
According to the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA), this is common practice.
They said: “It’s worth highlighting juice and smoothies provide a range of vitamin and nutritional benefits in a convenient format for many.
“Apples are used because they have a delicate taste and natural sweetness.
“This can help balance the profile of smaller fruits, which have stronger flavours and can overpower in large quantities.“
Influencing taste
Users on X said surely the taste of apple would be more prevalent if so much was used?
However, Dr Chris van Tulleken, NHS doctoral and associate professor at UCL, states a drink taste could be hard to determine.
He said: ”If you feed people vanilla yoghurt but colour it blue, people will taste blueberries.
“If you give people the same wine but colour one glass red, then the red glass will taste of chocolate or berries.
“Whereas the white wine will taste of citrus and floral notes. Colour affects our taste. Dye scrambled eggs blue and you can’t eat them.”
Van Tulleken also says apples are likely used because of how easy it is to access their juice.
He continued: ”They’re an incredibly cheap commodity with easy processing. If I were a juice manufacturer it’s the place to start.
”I’d use apple juice as a base and if I wanted to make lychee flavour, I’d add a few lychees. Or I’d put a picture of lychee on the bottle.
”We can influence the way things taste with labels on bottles.”
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