Apple Cider Vinegar
Saimaa Miller said, "A sure-fire way to beat the bloat is to begin the day with a glass of warm water with a couple of teaspoons of raw, organic apple cider vinegar. It’s a fantastic way to revv up our digestion and get rid of extra acidity." Reuters/Stringer

Cider consumption in New Zealand is going up, with sales increasing more than 300 percent since 2010. In 2015, volume wise, New Zealand cider sales for the month of January were higher by 25 percent compared to 2014, according to figures quoted by research centre Nielsen.

The leader in cider market is Swedish brand Rekorderlig with its January sales showing a jump of 118 percent compared to the same period in 2014. Though Rekorderlig beverages are labelled as cider, six out of 10 flavours sold in New Zealand are fruit wines, not usually sold in supermarkets, reports Stuff.Co.Nz.

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Auckland’s Zeffer Cider marketing manager Josh Townsend reasons the increase in cider sales to the popularity of sugary “ready to drink” ciders popular among younger drinkers. "Without doubt I think that's where the bulk of the growth is coming from," Townsend asserts.

Brands

But he appreciated that brands such as Rekorderlig are doing a service by introducing consumers to the cider category. Townsend is confident that as the tastes of market and consumers' mature, people will move from sweeter ciders to premium brands. That process will people discover new styles and understand the depth of the cider category in terms of its various options.

As for its popularity, he notes that sweeter ciders are heavily discounted and consumed by younger people. Zeffer cider is available in more than 350 shops in New Zealand and it beefed up distribution in 2014, by teaming up with Tuatara Breweries, which has a nationwide sales team.

Benefits

The health benefits of cider are also coming to the fore. Like the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” moderate use of cider on a daily basis may help in controlling many old age related issues. Experts also claim that there is evidence to suggest that cider made from fermented apple juice, is good for many health concerns. The chemicals in cider offer protection against cancer, heart disease and other age related conditions.

Daily Mail reports that cider is England's oldest alcoholic drink with explicit benefits to health. Ciders can mop up anti oxidants, which are free radicals produced in the body. Dr Caroline Walker, a scientist at Brewing Research International in Surrey said: “A diet rich in antioxidants can protect against disease and cider has the same levels of antioxidants as Red wine. It could well be claimed that a glass of cider a day will keep the doctor away. But it is important not to exceed the recommended daily intake of alcohol. It is two to three units for women and three to four units for men.” On an average cider contains about 2.5 units per pint.

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