Question from our inbox:  

“I love drinking juice, can you please tell me which one is the best choice.”  WW

Great question. Juice is one of those things that people think of as “healthy” because it’s made from fruit. But not all juices are created equal. While some juice can deliver a bounty of vitamins, others are nothing more than liquid candy, offering nothing but added sugar and calories. Suggested serving size is 4 ounces or 1/2 cup, which supplies 60 calories. Most people pour a glass of juice that’s two or three times that size which means they can be gulping down anywhere from 120 to 180-plus calories. I ALWAYS encourage eating whole fruit instead of drinking juice. Fresh fruit provides fiber and additional nutrients from the flesh and pulp, and it can also help control hunger. But for those who must drink juice keep the following in mind:  

Best Choice: Believe it or not the number one choice is vegetable juice. This is a convenient way to add powerful plant-based nutrients to your diet. The lycopene in tomato juice has potent antioxidant properties that are responsible for its numerous health benefits. Vegetable juice has far less sugar and fewer calories than the typical fruit juice, but it’s high in sodium, so always choose low sodium varieties.

Worst Choice: Juice ‘Cocktails’:  Be on alert for the terms juice cocktail, juice-flavored beverage, or juice drink. Most of these products contain only small amounts of real juice and the main ingredients are usually water and some type of sugar, such as high-fructose corn syrup. Nutritionally, these drinks are similar to most soft drinks — high in sugar and calories, but low in nutrients.

If you must drink juice, I recommend sticking to one ? cup serving per day, and choose one with the biggest nutritional payoff per sip. The following are some suggestions.

Pomegranate Juice: Pomegranate juice tops the list. Despite the calories, it delivers an abundant dose of antioxidants, which appear to protect brain function and may ward off cancer.

Cranberry Juice: Cranberry juice is packed with vitamin C, which is vital to a healthy immune system. There is also evidence to suggest that drinking unsweetened cranberry juice may help reduce your risk of urinary tract infections.

Blueberry Juice: Blueberries may help keep the brain healthy as well. There was an interesting study where researchers looked at the effect of blueberry juice on memory. They looked at adults in their seventies who had age-related memory decline. Those who drank blueberry juice for 12 weeks had significant improvement on learning and memory tests compared to those who drank a non-juice beverage.

Cherry Juice: Besides delivering a wealth of antioxidants, cherry juices appear to have anti-inflammatory properties as well. Drinking cherry juice before and after your workout can reduce exercise-induced muscle pain.

Red Grape Juice: We’ve all heard that red wine, in moderation, can be good for the heart. The same is true of red grape juice. Red grape juice contains potent antioxiodants — flavanoids and resveratrol. The key is that wine and juice are made with the entire grape — seeds, skin, and all. When you eat fresh grapes, you miss out on nutrients hiding in the seeds.

Prune Juice: Prune juice is known for its ability to relieve constipation, but its nutritional benefits don’t stop there. The juice is also packed with antioxidants, iron and potassium.

A note about Kids and Juice: The American Academy of Pediatrics has set clear guidelines on how much juice is appropriate for children. For children younger than 6, the AAP recommends no more than 4 to 6 ounces of pure fruit juice per day. For ages 7 to 18, the suggested amount is 8 to 12 ounces.

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