Fruit juice

DEFINITIONS

To be labeled as a fruit juice, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that a product be 100% fruit juice. For juices reconstituted from concentrate, the label must state that the product is reconstituted from concentrate. Any beverage that is less than 100% fruit juice must list the percentage of the product that is fruit juice, and the beverage must include a descriptive term, such as "drink," "beverage," or "cocktail." In general, juice drinks contain between 10% and 99% juice and added sweeteners, flavors, and sometimes fortifiers, such as vitamin C or calcium. These ingredients must be listed on the label, according to FDA regulations.

Fruit juice facts

100% fruit juices are nutritious beverages that have been enjoyed by adults and children for decades. 100% fruit juices can play an important role in a healthy diet because they offer great taste and a variety of nutrients found naturally in fruits. These juices are fat-free, nutrient-dense beverages that are rich in vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring phytonutrients that contribute to good health.

Juice

The best way to consume fruit is raw, with its skin or with the skin peeled off on an empty stomach or 20 minutes before other meals. If you're not such a fruit-eater and want to have more from the good stuff, the best way to start eating fruit is to squeeze fruit juices. In this way you can get used to fruit and after drinking juices for a while you'll see that your appetite to have raw fruits will increase.

Healthy Fruit Juice and Smoothy Recipes

The most delicious fruit juice and smoothy recipes. Bursting of energy and vitamins, ready in a jiffy and all you need is a juicer and a blender. For the calorie counters among us the nutrition facts of these recipes are included but we strongly recommend not counting if fruit is involved. It's the best food on earth so you can never have too much of it! (for more information check out our weight loss page). Squeeze for a better health!

The International Federation of Fruit Juice Producers (IFU) represents the world-wide fruit juice industry on a global level:

IFU favours technical and commercial contacts between the national associations and the juice producers of the various countries, and gathers information, regulations and guidelines of the world-wide fruit juice industry. IFU also promotes the manufacture and the consumption of fruit juices and vegetable juices and related products.

New research: Fruit juice consumption not related to overweight in children

Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, and Singapore (April 14, 2008) -- Despite studies that assert otherwise, 100% fruit juice consumption is not related to overweight in children, according to the authors of “A Review of the Relationship Between 100% Fruit Juice Consumption and Weight in Children and Adolescents” in the May/June issue of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (AJLM), published by SAGE.The statistics about overweight children are alarming. Over the past 20 years, there has been an increased prevalence of overweight and at-risk-for overweight in all ages and ethnic groups. In 2002, 10.3% of children 2-5 years of age were overweight, an increase from 7.2% in 1994. In males and females 12-17 years of age, waist circumference increased by 4.0% and 5.2%, respectively, between 1994 and 2004.