Orange, cranberry, tomato, apple or prune: which are healthy juices?

A major comparison of 70 supermarket juices has revealed a 13-teaspoon difference in sugar content per glass, depending on the kind you drink.

In an April edition of consumer health feature Shopping Swaps, the Herald Sun analysed some of the most popular kinds of juices Aussies drink to show how an easy swap could improve health.

Orange juice was the most sugary on average, with one product containing more than 13 teaspoons per cup.

By contrast, one brand of cranberry juice had less than one teaspoon.

Dietitians* said that juice was best kept as a treat because it stripped fibre* and could spike blood sugar*, so eating whole fruits was always better.

However, there was one unexpected health benefit to drinking certain kinds of juice: drinking some juice types with a steak dinner could help you absorb iron better.

Dietitians also said it was better to choose cold-pressed options or juices with pulp.

Dietitian Zoe Brain said to look out for whether a juice was labelled “reconstituted*”, which indicated heat and pressure were used in processing. Although this process made the drink last longer on the shelf, it also destroyed heat-sensitive nutrients*, like vitamin C.

You and your parents can always check the ingredient list at the back to see if your preferred juice is reconstituted or not.

Of the 70 products examined, 47 supermarket juices were reconstituted and 23 were not.

These were the healthiest juice options out there:

TOMATO JUICE

Tomato is one of the best juices we can pick – and in this rare case, having it reconstituted is better for us.

“Reconstituted tomato juice is high in lycopenes* because heat increases their availability,” dietitian Tania Mathewson said.

She said although it removed vitamin C, manufacturers usually added it back in.

Having it reconstituted meant getting the full benefits of lycopene, the antioxidant* that gives tomatoes their red colour and reduces stress and inflammation* in the body.

Ms Mathewson said she regularly recommended it as a top juice to clients.

“It’s low in sugar and energy but high in vitamin C and lycopene,” she said.

“It’s great for heart health and reducing inflammation.”

However, she said salt contents were generally high (anything above 400mg per 100ml is considered too much).

Ms Mathewson recommended Golden Circle tomato juice, which was below the sodium* mark at 180mg per 100ml.

While reconstituted, it had 59mg of vitamin C in every 200ml cup.

The average adult needs around 45mg daily.

Pros: Reduces stress and inflammation within the body.

Cons: Could have high sodium contents.

BEETROOT

Beetroot juice is great for active kids because it supports blood flow and your heart.

Brain of a Dietitian co-founder Zoe Brain said beetroots had large levels of natural nitrates* which supported cardiovascular* health.

The Australian Institute of Sport even categorised it as something that could help an athlete’s performance.

This potential boost is because beets regulate blood pressure and blood flow, and help muscle contractions.

Beetroot juice also had a larger fibre content compared to other options, which slows the rate sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream.

But for some people, it could also cause a tummy upset.

“Some people get bloating or diarrhoea after eating it,” Ms Brain said.

Ms Mathewson said most options in supermarkets had added ingredients but the Beet It Sport shot was a better pick.

It was made from concentrate (when the water is removed so it means higher sugar levels) but had added nitrates.

Pros: A great option for active people.

Cons: Could cause gastrointestinal* upset and there were not many healthy, affordable supermarket options.

CRANBERRY:

Cranberry juice was one of the low sugar options out there.

It also contained substances that could stop bacteria sticking to the bladder, which could help prevent urinary tract infections* (UTIs).

Ms Brain said cranberries were rich in polyphenols* and antioxidants, which reduced stress in the body.

She recommended going for unsweetened options, without added sugars.

Ms Brain said to look for 100 per cent pure, unsweetened juices when buying them from stores.

Ms Mathewson said the Ocean Spray pure cranberry juice was her recommended pick.

There were just under two teaspoons of sugar in every glass and no added ingredients.

Pros: May prevent UTIs.

Cons: Could have added sugars.

ORANGE

Packed with vitamin C, this juice could be great to eat with a nice piece of steak.

Ms Brain said vitamin C helped strengthen the immune system and oranges were full of it.

However, she recommended choosing pulp options because pulp improved fibre levels and helped balance high sugar contents.

“When you add pulp, you add the fibre, and that stops the rate sugar is absorbed into the blood,” Ms Brain said.

Interestingly, she recommended pairing a pulpy glass of OJ with red meat, because vitamin C made it easier for the body to absorb iron.

“If you’re having a glass of orange juice, pair it with an iron-rich meal like steak or chicken breast,” Ms Brain said.

Of the 29 OJs analysed, 16 were reconstituted.

Ms Mathewson said Nudie’s Nothing but 21 Oranges juice with pulp was a clean choice.

In every cup, there was 90mg of calcium and five teaspoons of sugar.

Pros: High in vitamin C and can help with iron absorption.

Cons: Could be very high in sugar.

PINEAPPLE

Pineapple juice was great for digestion and had high levels of vitamin C but was generally one of the worst juices for your teeth.

Ms Brain said it was filled with an enzyme* called bromelain that broke down and helped absorb nutrients from food.

“Bromelain is really good for digestion and nutrient absorption,” she said.

Like orange juice, it also helped improve iron absorption.

However, given its acidic nature it caused reflux* in those sensitive.

“People can get that furry or acidic feeling in the mouth, especially if there are allergies,” Ms Brain said.

Plus it had one of the highest sugar contents of all juices.

Of the nine analysed options, all pineapple juices had more than five teaspoons of sugar in every 250ml cup.

Plus more than 77 per cent of them were reconstituted.

“It’s probably the worst for your teeth,” Ms Brain said.

H2 pineapple juice contained 100 per cent pineapple juice and was not reconstituted.

There was 35mg of vitamin C but it had more than six teaspoons of sugar per glass.

Pros: Great for digestion.

Cons: High in sugar, bad for dental health and could cause discomfort.

PRUNE

If you’re looking for the best prune benefits, just eat them whole, experts said.

Ms Brain said prunes were great for helping relieve constipation* but juicing them removed fibre and minimised those benefits.

“My recommendation would be to actually have the prunes themselves for extra fibre if you’re constipated,” she said.

Plus every option analysed had more than five teaspoons of sugar per glass.

Ms Mathewson recommended Sunraysia prune juice for those set on a liquid option.

While it was reconstituted, it was still a good source of iron and fibre, she said.

Pros: Could help constipation.

Cons: Its raw form has better benefits.

APPLE

Apple juice was a great source of vitamins and minerals but it was important to limit serves, experts said.

Ms Brain said it was very hydrating*.

“There’s a large water content in apples which is always good,” she said.

It also rarely caused any discomfort in people’s stomachs.

However, because it was high in sugar, it was important to find options with pulp to minimise blood sugar spikes.

Options with pulp usually say “cloudy” on the front.

Nudie’s Nothing But Apples juice is cloudy and has just two ingredients: apple juice that has not been concentrated and vitamin C.

However, it also had almost seven teaspoons of sugar per glass – so just eating an apple is better.

Pros: Good source of vitamins and minerals.

Cons: High in sugar, so pulp was important.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• dietitian: qualified specialist who scientifically studies and gives advice about nutrition, food and eating
• fibre: a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods that the body cannot digest
• blood sugar: the level of glucose in the blood, which can make you ill if it’s too low or too high
• constipation: a condition which makes someone unable to empty their bowels as often or as easily as they should
• reconstituted: to add water to change food that has been dried back into its original form or into liquid form
• nutrients: substances, such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, that plants, animals and humans require to live, grow and function properly
• lycopene: a red pigment found in tomatoes and some fruits that is an antioxidant and may help prevent some types of cancer
• antioxidant: a substance, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, or betacarotene, thought to protect body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation
• inflammation: how your immune system responds to injury, infection, or irritants, which might include redness, heat, swelling, pain and sometimes loss of function
• sodium: silvery-white chemical element that combines with other elements and is needed by the body to keep fluids in balance and is found in table salt and in many processed foods
• nitrates: chemical compounds that include nitrogen and oxygen
• cardiovascular: relating to the heart and blood vessels
• gastrointestinal: in or relating to both the stomach and the intestine, often called our “guts”
• hydrating: essential process of your body absorbing water or other liquid
• urinary tract infection: infections in which bacteria invade and grow in any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra
• enzyme: a chemical substance that is found in living creatures which produces changes in other substances without being changed itself
• reflux: a condition in which liquid from the stomach moves upwards into the oesophagus
• polyphenols: a type of chemical found naturally in some plants that is good for your health when eaten

EXTRA READING

How having a dog improves health

Have you been chewing plastic?

Are your eyes sun-safe right now?

QUICK QUIZ

1. What is one of the best types of juice you can pick?
2. What is unusual about the way that particular juice delivers its best benefits?
3. What is one of the worst juices for the health of your teeth?
4. Of the 70 products examined, how many supermarket juices were reconstituted?
5. What kind of juice may be best eaten with a steak?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. High sugar juices
Create a bar graph of all the juices listed in the Kids News article, categorised by sugar content.

Can you add an extra bar to each labelled juice representing something else?

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Mathematics, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
What do you consider the healthiest fruit juice after reading all this nutritional information?

What juice would you opt to drink and how often?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Exercise the body and the mind
Exercise is not only important for the body, but it’s a lot of fun as well. Let’s bring more exercise into classroom learning by creating a VCOP PE game.

You can add a VCOP challenge to pretty much any game, and it’s a great way to encourage the teacher to let the class play more games.

Here is an example to get you started, then you create one of your own.

VCOP dodgeball

The normal rules of dodgeball apply. Two teams throw soft balls at each other and if you get hit, you have to sit out. The team who knocks out all the players on the other team, wins.

VCOP challenge: when you get eliminated, collect a mini-whiteboard and a basic clause from the sidelines. Up-level the sentence (make it better) by adding VCOP. When you show the teacher your completed sentence, you can return to the game.

Play for a set amount of time and the team with the most players left on the court wins.

Support: use the “Up-Level It” card set – players have to complete one card from the set instead of completing all VCOP challenges.

What can you come up with?