Best choice: vegetable juice
Drinking vegetables is convenient and beneficial. The lycopene in tomato juice may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Beet juice may help suppress blood pressure. Fruit and vegetable juices contain some fiber (but not as much as raw vegetables); fiber can reduce hunger. You also get far less sugar and calories than typical juices. Check the sodium content, though, or choose a lower-salt version.
Worst choice: Juice "cocktails"
Please be wary of terms such as "juice cocktails , " "juice-flavored drinks ," and "juice drinks." Most of these products contain only small amounts of real juice. Their main ingredients are usually water, a small amount of fruit juice, and some kind of sweetener, such as high fructose corn syrup. From a nutritional perspective, these drinks are similar to most soft drinks: high in sugar and calories but low in nutrients. Water is a better choice.
100% juice?
How about pure juice with no added sweeteners? Indeed, 100% juice is a good source of nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium. The problem is that too much juice can be an additional source of sugar and calories. Juice also doesn't contain the same fiber and phytonutrients as raw fruit. That's why many experts recommend sticking to one serving of juice a day.
Good choice: pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice tops the list. It's high in sugar and calories, but provides you with many beneficial nutrients called antioxidants. In fact, pomegranate juice has more antioxidant power than red wine or green tea.
Good choice: cranberry juice
Cranberry juice is rich in vitamin C, which is needed by the immune system. Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice may also help prevent the buildup of bacteria that can cause urinary tract infections.
Good choice: Acai juice
Acai juice is made from berries grown in South America. Acai pulp appears to have a higher concentration of antioxidants than cranberries, blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries.
Good choice: red grape juice
You may have heard that red wine in moderation is good for your heart. The same goes for red grape juice. Red grape juice contains flavonoids and resveratrol. The key is that red wine and juice are made from the whole grape: seeds, skins and all. But you don't get fiber from the fruit itself.
Good choice: prune juice
Prune juice has long been used to relieve constipation. It works because it is a good source of fiber and contains a natural laxative called sorbitol. But the benefits of prune juice don’t stop there. Juice is also rich in antioxidants, iron and potassium.
How about orange juice?
The good news is that orange juice is rich in vitamin C. Some brands are also fortified with calcium and vitamin D, which are good for bones. Unsweetened orange juice contains fewer calories than some berry or grape juices. The trade-off is that it also has less antioxidants than dark juices like grape, blueberry, and pomegranate.
children and juice
Most children enjoy drinking juice, but don't give them too much. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 6 years of age consume no more than 4 to 6 ounces of 100% juice per day, and children ages 7 to 18 consume no more than 8 to 12 ounces of 100% juice per day.
downplay it
If you or your child craves more than one glass of juice per day, add water. By mixing water or soda with juice, you can reduce the number of calories in each drink. You can drink 2 or 3 glasses of a fruit juice mixture throughout the day instead of a glass of pure juice.
Choose whole fruit
Nutritionists say a great alternative to drinking lots of juice is to eat the whole fruit. You'll get all the nutrients found in the pulp and pulp of the fruit, and the fiber will help you feel full and curb hunger pangs.
