Dear Earth Talk: So many juices are labeled Ònatural.Ó Which ones are most
healthful? Ñ Zenas Lu, Boston, Mass. The most healthful juice you can drink
is one thatÕs made fresh, right before you drink it, preferably from organic
fruits or vegetables with nothing added. The beneficial enzymes, vitamins, and
minerals are at their peaks, and some health practitioners say that the water
that comes from fruits and vegetables is the purest kind. Juices, which pack
a nutritional punch, are a good way to get part of your daily requirement of
fruits and veggies. The American Dietetic Association calls orange juice a Ònutrition
powerhouse.Ó But when juices are packaged and pasteurized, they lose some of
their nutritional value. Obviously we donÕt always have the time or money to
drink fresh juice, and thatÕs when bottled juices are a good choice over soda
or sugary iced teas. But buyer beware: Widely popular commercial Òfruit drinks,Ó
with little or no real fruit juice, are largely artificially colored sugar water
and contain minimal amounts of fruit juice. According to the Center for Science
in the Public Interest, many fruit Òdrinks,Ó Òbeverages,Ó Òades,Ó and ÒcocktailsÓ
are nothing more than noncarbonated soda pop. Fruitopia Real Òreal fruit beverageÓ
and Sunny Delight Òreal fruit beverage,Ó for example, each contain only 5 percent
juice. V8 Splash is about 25 percent juice and 75 percent sugar water. CSPI
says that, even though Fruitopia has Ò100 percent vitamin C per servingÓ in
such flavors as Strawberry Passion Awareness, the product contains only about
5 percent strawberry juice Ñ and 95 percent high-fructose corn syrup. Similarly,
Mystic Mango Mania Fruit Drink has mangoes pictured all over the label, but
the product doesnÕt contain any mango, except perhaps a small amount included
in the Ònatural flavors.Ó YouÕre getting roughly 3 percent white grape juice
and 97 percent sugar water. The health Web site Lifeclinic.com argues that juice
in such limited amounts has no health benefits. Reading the label is the best
way to ensure that you are buying whatÕs best for you. If youÕre buying off
the shelf, try to avoid juices with artificial ingredients or preservatives
and, quite simply, anything with less than 100 percent juice. A warning to those
watching their weight: Many bottled juices are high in calories as a result
of the natural fruit sugars they contain. Drink water and eat whole fruit, which
provides fiber along with all of the nutritional benefits. For more information,
contact the American Dietetic Association, 800-877-1600, www.eatright.org; the
Center for Science in the Public Interest, 202-332-9110, www.cspinet.org; or
Lifeclinic.com, 800-543-2850, www.lifeclinic.com.
Send questions to ÒEarth TalkÓ in care of E/The Environmental
Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881, or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com.
This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2004.
