Apple juice

Keep it tightly closed in the fridge and use it within the time stated on the carton, usually within a few days. If it smells fermented or looks unexpectedly fizzy, discard it.

Yes. Leave space at the top of a freezer-safe container because the juice expands as it freezes. Thaw it in the fridge and shake or stir it before serving.

Cloudy juice retains fine apple particles, while clear juice has been filtered to remove them. Cloudy juice can settle, so give the bottle a shake before pouring.

You can usually swap it for non-alcoholic cider in a sauce or marinade, but juice is often sweeter and less tart. Add a little lemon juice or vinegar to balance the flavour.

Use it to poach pears, loosen the juices in a roasting tin, or make a glaze for pork by simmering it with mustard and a little vinegar until syrupy. For a quick sauce, simmer it for about 10 minutes to concentrate the flavour.

Apple nectar has more energy and carbohydrate: about 45 kcal and 11 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, compared with 44 kcal and 10 g in apple juice. Nectar is generally a juice drink made with added water, and may contain sweetener.

A 150 ml glass contains about 15 g of sugar. The amount is similar whether the sugars are naturally present in the fruit or added during manufacture, so check the ingredients if you want to know whether sugar has been added.

Yes; use a small splash to help blend banana, berries or oats, rather than replacing all the fruit with juice. It adds sweetness and makes the smoothie thinner.