![]() Some healthy juice brands are fortified with extra goodies, and that's a great way to maximize the health benefits whenever you choose to drink your fruit instead of eating it. But given that the daily recommended limit for women is 25 grams, you really don't want to be drinking half your day's sugar in one glass of OJ. Okay, so no added sugar…but what about naturally occurring sugar? Boules says to aim for a juice with 12 grams or less of sugar (which is still three teaspoons, FYI). "If an added sugar is listed in the first three ingredients, it most likely contains a large amount." "The first ingredient, which makes up the majority of the product, should be the fruit juice itself," she says. Registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies, says to watch out for juices called "cocktails" because they may contain more than just juice, such as artificial colorings and flavors (and added sugar). You want to buy a juice that contains zero added sugars and zero ingredients except plain ol' juice. Here's what to look for in healthy juice brands: The good news, though, is that you can become a pro at reading juice labels. Even brands that use lingo like "all natural" and "no sugar added" can have astronomical amounts of sugar per serving because of the concentration of fruit sugars found in each bottle. The bad news is that you can't just grab any old bottle of juice off the supermarket shelf if you want to avoid a sugar crash. Here's how to figure out which brands are healthy and which are only pretending to be good for you. That said, some juices are lower in sugar than others and can be a smart option (in moderation!) when you need to increase your intake of fruit. Studies have shown that when people perceive food as healthier, we tend to eat-or drink-more of it. Now you know you should always pick an apple over a bottle of apple juice when given the choice, but does that mean that all fruit juice is terrible for you? No, but you have to be cautious: because juices are often touted as a health food, it makes them dangerously misleading. "The fiber and a symphony of other nutrients and goodies can be lost in processing." "The naturally occurring sugar in a whole piece of fruit should not be compared to a bottle of juice or refined sugar," she says. This digestion-slowing, belly-filling macronutrient is key when it comes to minimizing spikes in blood sugar and keeping your energy levels from tanking soon after you finish sipping a glass. What's more, says Boules, there's usually little to no fiber in fruit juices to slow down the absorption of the sugar. "Even though it's naturally occurring, that's way too much sugar." "When you eat an apple, you're eating one apple, but when you drink 12 ounces of apple juice, you're drinking the sugar of about four to six apples," says Barbie Boules, RDN, founder of Barbie Boules Longevity Nutrition, Inc. ![]()
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