The Great Juice Debate…Continued

In my last post, I touched on the debate surrounding juicing vs. smoothies (which basically goes something like this- Juice 0, Smoothies 1).

And while I had discovered a juice/smoothie product that sort of appeases both camps, I know many of you are still more inclined to head to your local grocery store and pick up your kids’ favorite silvery juice pouch, even if only occasionally.

And surprisingly, the silvery juice pouch people have stepped up their game.

The folks over at CapriSun have got a couple of new offerings, and one that is actually worth looking at if there’s just no way you’re going to remove juice boxes/pouches from the beverage rotation at your house.

Sidebar: Hey, I am a nutritionist but I’m also a mom. I know it’s going to happen so we can at least be smart about it, right?!

CapriSun’s Super V Fruit & Vegetable Juice Drink

CapriSun’s Super V Fruit & Vegetable Juice Drink line touts that it contains a serving of fruits and veggies in each drink pouch. Now, while I think this claim is a stretch for juice, it actually does contain 3 grams of fiber (something we’d expect to see in a serving of the real stuff).

The fiber comes from corn fiber that’s been added to the juice mixture. So while this juice is not exactly a whole food product, the fiber does promote good digestion and slows the release of the fruit sugar into the bloodstream, something you don’t often find in juice (not even their 100% juice line).

Coming in at 14 grams of sugar per pouch, the sugar content isn’t off the charts (as far as juice is concerned). The good news is the Super V line doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup or other weird sweeteners- it’s just straight up juice (probably not cold-pressed but if that’s what you’re into, I don’t think you’re buying CapriSuns).

Remain cautious about how much juice you offer your children- I wouldn’t say that the Super V line is nutritious by any stretch. If you’re serving them at home, I always recommend cutting them down with water or serving less than the entire serving when you can. However, if you are going to have commercial juice products in your pantry, this one is worth looking at.

I always say – if you need juice – make it!

So you may need those juice machines at very attractive prices to make excellent juice for your children, yourself and your guests!

Check these out!

Aicook Juicer Machine with 3” Wide Mouth and Non-Slip Feet

Hamilton Beach Centrifugal Juicer Machine with Big Mouth 3” Feed Chute

Breville Juice Fountain Cold Centrifugal Juicer

 

So what about CapriSun Roarin’ Waters?

CapriSun’s Roarin’ Waters line seems aimed at the flavored waters market. It appears to have less sugar than traditional CapriSuns (8 grams compared to 13 grams), but there’s a yucky secret hiding on that label.

Since Roarin’ Waters doesn’t actually contain any juice, the sweetness has to come from somewhere. In this case, the sugary stuff is high fructose corn syrup. On top of that, to amp up the sweetness while keeping the sugar number down on the label, they’ve supplemented the HFCS with a dose of Splenda artificial sweetener.

No thank you.

The website appears to reveal the launch of a line of Roarin’ Waters drinks that don’t have HFCS but all the nutrition facts panels still show it on the label, both online and in the stores. What I’ve seen is enough to make me steer clear entirely- you’re still better of dropping some sliced fruit into a water bottle and making your own infused water on-the-go.

How do you moderate juice consumption in your home? Share your thoughts- I’d love to hear your tips!