Is It OK to Drink Juice Concentrate? Comparing Fresh Juice Vs. Concentrate

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Juice can be a delicious and convenient way to get important nutrients from fruit or vegetables into your diet. With the rise of processed foods in the market, you may have come across juice concentrates and wondered if they're the same thing as other juice options. Or maybe you've wondered, "Is juice from concentrate bad for you?"

Here's what you need to know about what juice concentrate is and how it differs from fresh juice.

What is juice concentrate?

Water usually makes up about 90% of juice. Juice concentrate is made by removing water from juice to create a more concentrated version.

There are a few different methods for making juice concentrate. For example, the juice can be heated, or it can be filtered through a special membrane. Heat evaporation is the most commonly used method for making juice concentrate. It's also the process that seems to destroy more nutrients compared to other methods. But all the methods have the same effect: to lower the water content. At the end of each process, what's left is juice concentrate.

Juice concentrate may look like a thick, syrup-like liquid, or it can be made into a powdered form. Some juice powders might specify that they were freeze-dried. But, usually, the packaging on fruit juice concentrate won't tell you what methods were used to make it.

Manufacturers use juice concentrate for a variety of reasons. Compared to traditional juices, juice concentrates are easier to pack, store, and transport. This makes them a less expensive option for manufacturers. Juice concentrates also have a longer shelf-life. This is because removing water from juice inhibits the growth of bacteria.

The different types of juice concentrate

Juice concentrate comes in a few different forms, including:

• 100% fruit concentrate: This is the healthiest type since it's made only from fruit. This means it packs similar vitamins and minerals to what the whole fruit would. The concentrated version is just missing fiber. 100% fruit juice concentrate only contains sugars that are naturally present in fruit. This means that, according to the FDA, it isn't considered an added sugar on food labels.

• Concentrated fruit beverage, punch, or cocktail: These products are made from a blend of juices but aren't 100% juice. Instead, they often include added sweeteners and/or flavors to improve taste. Unlike 100% fruit concentrate, this type includes added sugars.

• Powdered juice concentrate: Some fruit powders are made from 100% fruit, and thus can provide a good source of nutrients. In fact, some fruit powders are used as supplements, and may help with lung function and gut health. However, other fruit powders contain additives and added sugar, making them less healthy choices.

Juice concentrates can be turned into a variety of products besides just beverages. They're also used as a flavor or coloring agent and may be found in things like baked goods, candies, and other food products.

Is juice from concentrate bad for you?

The nutrition in juice concentrate depends on a few factors. Some fruit juice concentrates are highly processed and contain many types of food additives. These food additives may come with potential downsides for your overall health.

Research has reported that fruit juice concentrates are generally lower in beneficial nutrients, such as vitamins, phytonutrients, and fiber. Fiber has numerous health benefits that aren't present in juice form. This is due to how concentrates get processed.

On the flipside, 100% fruit juice concentrate can still provide some important nutrients, like vitamin C and potassium. When it doesn't have added sugar or food additives, juice from concentrate isn't bad for you. It can even be a helpful way to get added vitamins and nutrients, especially if you don't get enough fruits and vegetables in your meals.

So, consuming small amounts of unsweetened fruit juice concentrate in the context of a balanced diet can be a healthy option.

Nutritional difference between juice concentrate and fresh juice

Here's the nutritional breakdown between 1 cup of fresh orange juice versus 1 cup of orange juice from concentrate.

As you can see, fresh juice is higher in certain nutrients, like vitamin C, potassium, and folate. Yet, the calorie and sugar amounts are nearly the same.

What to look for when buying juice

When buying juice, here are some qualities to look for. The most nutritious juices will be:

• Made with 100% juice: This will provide the highest amount of nutrients and won't contain additives, like sugar, colors, or preservatives.

• Fresh, not from concentrate: Because juice concentrates are more highly processed and can be lower in certain nutrients, fresh is best.

• Pasteurized: Most juice sold in the U.S. is pasteurized - or heat-treated - to kill bacteria. The FDA recommends making sure juice is pasteurized, especially for pregnant people, children, and people with weakened immune systems.

Is cold-pressed juice better?

When it comes to cold-pressed juice versus regular juice, there's not a clear answer on which is better for you.

Unlike regular juice, cold-pressed juice is extracted without heat. Some believe this preserves nutrients and improves the flavor of the juice. However, research has found no significant difference in the plant compounds - including antioxidants - between these two types of juice. Cold-pressed juice usually has a shorter shelf-life than regular juice. And some sources say that cold-pressed juice may contain more bacteria since it isn't pasteurized.

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