So many parents, adults, and teens are fooled by Juice Labels. It’s hard not to fall for the Shiny Labels:
- 1-2 servings of fruits and veggies per can or serving
- No added sugar
- 100% real juice
- Organic
- Sounds healthy right? Sold!
Wait, two tics …….
Here is what happens to store bought juice.
- Fruits and veggies are squeezed into a giant vat removing all fiber
- The juice in vats is heated at high temperatures to kill bacteria per FDA recommendations
- This is called pasteurization
- Once anything is boiled for a long period of time, it looses its vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
- The leftover is SUGAR.
The following are the outcomes from the clever advertisement of the Juice Companies:
- Kids in day care are served sugar in a glass,
- Kids lunch boxes contain sugar in a box with a straw,
- Teens drink cans of sugar masked as fruits and/or veggies
- Parents provide their children with liquid sugar, thinking it’s fruits and veggies.
Possible counterarguments:
- On MyPlate.gov it states that a glass of juice is considered a serving for fruit or veggies. It does not specify home made juice. Right. I would also like to add that the US Government considers pizza sauce a serving of vegetables. Alrighty then!! I rest my case!
- But there will be so much whining in the house. Stop buying juice and the whining goes away in 2-3 days. If it’s not in the house, kids will lose interest in futile whining. If you hide it and they find it, well good luck with that one!
- But the kids get calcium and vitamin D from the OJ. Great, squeeze oranges and give them a drop of Carlson’s Vitamin D drop (no taste, no smell, no color, no sugar). There is no need for a side of 12 packets of sugar with their vitamins.
It’s OK:
- To buy Raw, Unpasteurized Juice
- To make Home Made Juice – this is FABULOUS!!!!!!
- To read the ingredient labels on all foods
- To slowly dilute the juice over time until the result is a splash of juice in water.
- Infuse your water with fruits and herbs.
- Drink coconut water. Here is a great review by the FoodBabe on How to choose the right coconut water.
- Buy a juicer: Juicer buying guide.
It’s Not OK:
- To believe the claims on the front of the box or bottles
- Buy Roaring Waters thinking its water. This is sugar and water in a box – again fabulous advertisement.
- Buy juice because it has an Organic Label. This is organic sugar in a box. It still has to be pasteurised. AKA boiled to death.
- Buy juices because they claim less sugar. I guess they dilute the sugar.
