Is Juice From Concentrate Bad For You?

Do you remember sipping on a Capri Sun or some other brand of boxed juice during lunchtime when you were a kid? These fruit-flavored drinks were sold with fruity-sounding names and had pictures of the fruit on the label. They were also admittedly delicious and purchased in bulk, so they could be easily thrown in packed lunches or given to little league teams after practice. This sugary liquid may be a nostalgic taste from your youth — though if you've ever drunk juice from a box, it was likely a juice from concentrate.

Before we get into why fresh squeezed juice is a better choice for your health over juice from concentrate, it's helpful to understand why juice from concentrate is found most everywhere instead of the real juicy deal. Juice from concentrate is easier to package and send to almost any grocery or convenience store in all geographical areas (via Science Direct). It also has a longer shelf life than a juice drink that contains nothing but fruit juice.

Many instantly assume that juices from concentrate are healthy drinks because of their clever labels and packaging. However, according to the Times of India, when fruit is heated up to remove the excess water to become fruit juice concentrate, it loses much of its nutritional value, including beneficial vitamins and minerals.

You should also take note of the other ingredients that are in your juice beverage of choice. There are many brands and forms of juice from concentrate on the market today, some of which are healthier than others. Healthline recommends reading the label on the product and avoiding those that have added sugar, cane sugar, and fructose syrup among the first ingredients. Products that avoid these additives and sweeten the juice with only natural fruit sugars are a healthier choice.

A box or glass of your favorite juice growing up might be worth the trip down memory lane every now and then. But if you're looking for the healthiest juice drink option, than fresh is most likely best.