Armagh apple cider vinegar is good for wellbeing

Apple expert Catherine McKeever has always started the day with a small glass of apple cider vinegar from Long Meadow, the successful cider and juice processing business she runs with husband Pat and son Peter.

A small glass of apple cider vinegar in water, Catherine says, sets the family up for the day ahead that involves looking after the farm’s vast apple orchards and the processing of a range of multi-award winning fresh apple juices and ciders which they sell throughout Ireland and in Great Britain.

Independent experts also recognise the value of Long Meadow’s ciders and its apple cider vinegar, the latter being named as a finalist in the upcoming Blas na hEireann Irish National Food Awards in Dingle, Co Kerry next month. In addition to major successes at previous Blas events, Long Meadow has also won UK Great Taste Awards for its original and fruit infused ciders.

“The health benefits of pure and unfiltered apple cider vinegar are increasingly being recognised in Britain, a key export market for our ciders,” Catherine continues. “It’s a popular home remedy that people, especially in rural areas, have used for centuries in cooking and home remedies. The role of apples in Armagh has inevitably meant that the cider vinegar is now widely used.”

Apple cider vinegar, according to Catherine, is made from fermented apple juice.

“Our cider vinegar is made using apples from our own orchards and then fermented slowly in our processing unit, which means we have total control over the ingredients and processing of our own Long Meadow vinegar,” she adds.

The process exposes crushed apples to yeast, which ferments the sugars from the apples and turns them into alcohol. Adding bacteria further ferments the alcohol, turning it into acetic acid — the main active compound in vinegar. The acid gives vinegar its strong sour smell and flavour. Researchers believe this acid is responsible for apple cider vinegar’s health benefits.

Catherine, however, isn’t one for making extravagant claims about the health benefits cider vinegar, pointing out that there’s scope for more research. Some existing research, nevertheless, had shown that apple cider vinegar has various healthful properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Some evidence suggests it could possibly offer health benefits, such as: aiding weight loss, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels, improving the symptoms of diabetes and benefiting skin and hair.

“We’ve found that using our apple cider vinegar helps with overall wellbeing,” Catherine continues. “It can be used in cooking or as a drink every morning – a couple of tablespoons diluted in a glass of water. It’s vinegar and so shouldn’t be taken neat, which could burn the lining of the back of the throat or affect tooth enamel.”

Long Meadow’s cider vinegar, she continues, can provide another beneficial bacterial boost in the shape of the fermented ‘mother’ in each bottle. The vinegar is organic and unfiltered which retains beneficial bacteria which has been said in particular to be good for hair and skin.

The family business was established in 2014 to craft ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar on the back of a family heritage of growing applies for more than 50 years in Armagh.

The company’s ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar are processed exclusively using pure pressed apple juice from apples harvested from its own orchards. The focus is on natural products without use of concentrates, chemicals or added water. Small batches are produced on the farm using a unique slow fermentation process for greater flavour.

Based near Loughgall, Long Meadow will be a key business in the forthcoming Armagh Food and Cider Week next month, featuring a host of events around the ‘Orchard County’. The company is one of the most successful and innovative in the local food and drink industry and regularly hosts visits to its operations for local people and tourists. It has created a unique apple experience for visitors.

Long Meadow’s heritage in apple growing stretches back three generations in county Armagh and now has extensive business from delis, independent retailers, restaurants and bars in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It has also exported ciders to Britain.

The enterprising family grows and harvests apples from upwards of 120 acres of orchards, 30 of which are on the home farm at Loughgall. Native Bramley apples, which have EU PGI status, and other locally grown apples from a network of trusted growers are used in cider processing. It has hosted spectacular events such as sound and light shows in the apple orchards.