Are you a juice drinker?
Do you buy it every week for your family because it seems like a healthy option?
If so, here are some points to ponder:
Is your juice a sugary concoction?
Does the label read “juice from concentrate”?
Is your answer is ”yes”, it's time you stop using store bought juices and start making your own fresh juice.
Too busy? I have some tips for you too so read on for some juicy info!
5 Reasons Most Store-bought Juices are Junk
1. Not fresh
Although the carton may claim “fresh” they are not fresh for one reason. The number one reason is that most juices are from concentrate. Juice from concentrate has most of its water removed.
This process involves filtration, extraction and evaporation processes. Evaporation requires heating the juice to high temperatures, followed by extraction.
The extraction process adds some chemicals to get a condensed product.
So, the juice that you buy in the store has either water added to it or frozen in containers for adding water at home.
A label claiming ”100% fruit juice from concentrate” contains additives and flavor enhancers. I just call them “junk!”
2. Loaded with added sugar
One of the worst ingredients in packaged juices. High fructose corn syrup and refined sugars make up the added sugars. It's one of the worst ingredients in store-bought juices. It leads to sugar spike, inflammation, and weight gain.
3. Pasteurized
Juice makers pasteurize raw juice to increase shelf life. This means even the ”healthy” ones get pasteurized. The heat destroys the natural enzymes present in the raw juice along with the bacteria. Net result, you will drink more sugar and get fewer nutrients.
4. Additives
Bottled juice may have additives to improve flavor and appearance of the product. Juice makers add food colorants and additives to maintain the consistency of the product.
5. Food Labels Mislead
Most of us lose sight of how much sugar is in a glass of juice. Be mindful of what is being used as a serving size for a more realistic idea. You need to be vigilant of food labels when it comes to store-bought juices.
Food manufacturers are notorious for using sneaky tricks when labeling ingredients.
Don't Have Time to Make Your Own?
There's a happy medium here and more and more stores are offering a few healthier options if you know what to look for:
- Buy juices that have no added sugars.
- Cold-pressed juices are nutritious. They have most of the nutrients intact and retained during processing.
- Avoid juices with a long ingredient list.
- A healthy juice bottle should not have more than 2 -3 ingredients.
Making fresh juice at home is still the best way to enjoy the benefits of juicing.
TweetHandy tips on juicing at home
- Flavor your juice with lemon, ginger or mint.
- Drink your juice slowly and chew it to let your saliva break down the plant cells.
It may “sound funny” but chewing action when drinking your juice helps stimulate digestive enzymes and increase the nutrient absorption.
- When juicing raw vegetables, add 20% fruit for natural sweetness.
Happy Juicing!
Yours in health and happiness,
Danette
P.S. Please help me get the word out about how to keep juicing healthy by sharing this article. I always love to hear from you in the comments below too! Do you juice?
