How to Squeeze the Most Nutrition Out of Your Juice

Health experts agree that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is important for reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as some cancers and heart disease. Yet, determining the role of fruit and vegetable juices in a healthy diet can be challenging. While it's perfectly acceptable to include juices in a meal plan, it's crucial to research your options, shop thoughtfully, and make informed choices.

Weighing the Pros

Fruits and vegetables contain a wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients that experts recognize as vital for promoting health and guarding against chronic diseases. Except for the fiber, fruit and vegetable juices can contain similar levels of the same nutrients as their whole fruit and vegetable counterparts.

Juices are excellent sources of antioxidants and phytonutrients, but processing can alter their presence and activity in both positive and negative ways. For instance, apple juice loses most of the apple's antioxidant benefits because the most nutrient-rich parts of the apples are discarded during juicing. In contrast, the lycopene in tomato juice is more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes, thanks to the heat used to produce juice. Even the method of juicing can impact nutrient content. Commercially squeezed orange juice and pomegranate juice often contain more phytonutrients and antioxidants, respectively, than those made by hand, because of the industrial processing of fruits. Commercial processing allows more contact between the fruit's skin and seeds, which are rich in phytonutrients, and the juice.

Considering the Cons

Fruit and vegetable juices are more calorie-dense and contain less fiber than their corresponding whole fruits or vegetables. Juices are a more concentrated source of simple sugars than whole fruits and vegetables, which is an important distinction. It's easier to add extra calories with juice since you can quickly drink, for example, two glasses of orange juice rather than savoring a single orange. Juices are also more expensive per serving than fruits and vegetables.

Navigating the Juice Jungle

Juice products fall into three major categories:

• 100% Juices – This includes both single or multiple fruit combinations, such as orange or orange-passion fruit. 100% fruit juice is juice that comes entirely from real fruit without any added sugars or sweeteners. Only 100% fruit juice is considered a part of the MyPlate Fruit Group. Beverages like "juice drinks" and "fruit-flavored drinks" are not.
• Juice Drinks – This includes beverages with juice content ranging from about 10% to less than 100%. Juice drinks can contain added sweeteners, flavors, and other additives. They may also be labeled as juice cocktails, juice blends, fruit "ade," or another term meant to indicate that they are not 100% juice. While they may have the same number of calories per serving as 100% fruit juice, the phytonutrient, vitamin, and mineral content of juice drinks is typically lower than that of their pure juice counterparts. While they can legally range from more than 0% to less than 100% juice, juice drinks generally contain about 10% to 50% juice.
• Fruit-Flavored Drinks – Fruit-flavored drinks contain no actual fruit juices and rely on sweeteners and flavorings to provide their fruity flavors. While they're often fortified with vitamins and minerals to look nutritious, they lack the antioxidants and phytochemicals found in actual fruit and vegetable juices. They're also high in "added sugars," which the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting.

A Juice is a Juice is a Juice – Or is It?

Whether you're buying a new car or a bottle of juice, it's crucial to understand what you're getting for your money. Aim for 100% fruit juice but remember that not all 100% juices are created equal. Some offer more nutritional benefits than others. Check the food label and choose juices that are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and potassium. Consider calcium-fortified juices to enhance your calcium intake as well. To know exactly which juices are included in the product, read the ingredient list, which is organized from most to least abundant. If a 100% fruit juice lists apple juice as the first ingredient and pomegranate as the last, it contains much less pomegranate juice and mostly apple juice. Consequently, you won't reap the phytonutrient benefits that make pomegranates so appealing.

All juices contain water and sugar. If you're drinking 100% juice, the sugar is naturally occurring fructose. Juice drinks, on the other hand, are made with added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup. While your body won't distinguish between added and naturally occurring sugars, juice drinks can contain more sugar – and therefore more calories – depending on the amount of added sweeteners.

Picking a Proper Juice

Including "quality" juices in your diet can be a beneficial way to achieve your fruit and vegetable intake goals. But what exactly qualifies as a "quality" juice?

The nutritional value of juices varies based on the fruits or vegetables used. Some juices are little more than sugar and water, while others offer the same vitamins, minerals, and many of the same phytochemicals found in their whole counterparts – though they lack fiber.

Both the medical and nutrition communities agree:

1. A "quality" juice is one that is 100% juice, rather than juice drinks or blends that contain less than 100% juice.
   
2. Juices lack the fiber but contain higher levels of simple sugars, compared to whole fruits and vegetables.
3. Consumers should drink plain water, plain pasteurized milk, and limited amounts of 100% fruit and vegetable juice for optimal nutrition and hydration.
   
4. Adults and children should limit juice consumption, as follows, even if it is 100% juice:
   1. Infants (0–12 months): No fruit juice
   2. Toddlers (1–4 years): Less than 4 ounces
   3. Children (5–8 years): Less than 4–6 ounces
   4. Children (9–13 years): Less than 6–8 ounces
   5. Teens (14–18 years): Less than 8 ounces
   6. Adults (over 18 years): Less than 8 ounces

When considering the health benefits of fruits and vegetables – like potential protection against certain cancers and heart disease – enjoying a glass of orange juice with your breakfast cereal or adding a can of vegetable juice to your lunch could be a convenient way to include them in your diet. Many juices are now fortified with vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and calcium, to enhance their nutritional value. However, it's important to balance juice with whole fruits and vegetables. We recommend:

1. Enjoy a variety of whole fruits, vegetables, and juices.
2. Select a colorful assortment of fruits and vegetables to ensure you get a range of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
3. One daily serving of juice can be a helpful addition to meet your daily fruit and vegetable goals but beware. Juices offer no real nutritional benefits over whole fruits and vegetables. Juices are a tasty change but not a substitute for the "real thing."

Use These Tips to Find the Juice That's Best for You

• Check the Label – Manufacturers are required by law to declare the juice percentage by the words, "Contains __% ___ juice" or "___% juice." Make sure the juice you're buying is 100% juice.
• The More Colorful, the Better – The most colorful foods tend to be the richest sources of beneficial phytonutrients. This is true of juice, as well. Almost all 100% juices offer nutrients worth recommending. Those with deeper colors generally provide higher levels of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and vitamins. For example, pink grapefruit juice contains the antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene, which are absent in white grapefruit juice. Similarly, purple grape juice delivers a stronger antioxidant boost compared to white grape juice.
• Consider Your Unique Needs – For adults, the relatively high ratio of fructose to glucose and sorbitol in apple juice may provide a very gentle laxative effect. Likewise, prune juice is the most popular juice to relieve constipation. The fiber in prune juice bulks up stools while the sorbitol helps soften them, making them easier to pass. Prune juice is also a good source of Vitamin C and iron. If you're prone to urinary tract infections (UTIs), the tannins in cranberry juice can inhibit E. coli bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder and urethra, reducing the risk of infections. For children, the Vitamin C and folate in orange juice make it a nutritious choice.
• Weigh the Good and the Not-So-Good – Every choice we make has its advantages and disadvantages. Some are obvious while others are less apparent. For instance, prune juice is one of the most phytochemical-rich juices on the market. It's also rich in sorbitol, a natural sugar that absorbs water, making prune juice a superb bulking agent with a well-known laxative effect. In contrast, apple juice and white grape juice also contain sorbitol and can produce similar laxative effects, yet they are not recognized for this characteristic.
• Add Up the "Extras" – Fortification has the potential to make a good juice even better. 100% juice with added calcium and Vitamin D can help with strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis.
• Be Safe – Unpasteurized juice and cider may contain pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, and cryptosporidium. Read labels and select only pasteurized juices. When shopping at farm markets, ask if juice or cider is pasteurized if the label doesn't indicate it.
• Balance Juice with Fruits and Vegetables – Don't be fooled; juices offer no real nutritional benefits over whole fruits and vegetables. They're a tasty change but not a substitute for the "real thing." One serving of juice (4 ounces) is a good start toward meeting your daily fruit/vegetable goals. More isn't necessary.

March 2025