On supermarket shelves we are faced with an abundance of packaged juices that look the same, but whose nutritional value is not always the same. And, sometimes, we don’t know which one to choose among so much variety. In this NaranjasYa article we explain everything you need to know about packaged juices and their differences with respect to natural orange juice.
Packaged orange juices
When we go to the supermarket to buy juice, we may have doubts about the great variety of juices we can find, among squeezed juices, juices from concentrate, fruit nectars, juice-based drinks and juice and milk-based drinks.
To know which is juice and which is better, it is essential to look at the labelling, beyond its presentation and price. In fact, the best squeezed juices have a lower price than nectars.
Supermarket squeezed juice
Supermarket squeezed orange juice is characterised by the fact that it is a natural product that does not contain any preservatives or heat treatment.
The OCU analysed 24 samples of supermarket squeezed juice in a laboratory and found them to be safe products, as consumption at the time of purchase and after 24 hours was safe. In addition, it was also identified that choosing this type of juice is more expensive than preparing it at home, especially if it is the orange season.
100% squeezed juice
100% squeezed juice is directly obtained from the fruit and has not undergone any concentration processes, so it is the most similar to natural juice. It is usually labelled as ‘100% squeezed oranges’.
This video from the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) presents the characteristics of 100% squeezed juices, which are the most similar to home-made juice.
OCU also analysed different brands such as Dia, Zumosol, Don Simón, Juver, Lidl’s Vitafit, Granini, Auchan, Hipercor, Carrefour, Eroski and Hacendado. Few differences were found in terms of calories and carbohydrates. However, differences were detected with respect to vitamin C, Hacendado being the only one to add it with 100 mg/100 ml.
Finally, in terms of price, these high-end juices tend to be more expensive, although Dia’s 100% squeezed juice is considered one of the best and is half the price of nectars.
Juices from concentrate
Juices from concentrate are made from concentrated orange juice, to which water is added to obtain a concentration of sugars similar to that of squeezed juice. They can have pulp and flavourings as long as they come from the original fruit.
The concentration process is carried out under conditions of pressure and temperatures that avoid detracting from the flavour of the juice. After that, it is usually refrigerated or frozen.
The OCU study compared 7 products from the brands Zü, Hacendado, Granini, Don Simón, Juver, Vitafit and Eroski. None of the brands indicated the origin of the juice, which is why they often come from third countries.
Orange nectars
Orange nectars are prepared with 50 % orange juice. They are usually made from concentrate and pulp and natural flavourings of the fruit can be added.
This option is a cheap version of traditional juices, only half is juice, the rest is water and sugar or sweetener with additives. The main differences between brands are in the added sweet source, which can be sugar, sweeteners, sugar blends and glucose-fructose syrups. Those consisting of glucose syrups are cheaper, but of poorer quality.
Juice and milk drinks
Juice and milk drinks are widely consumed by children and are mixed milk and juice drinks. However, they consist of water, sugar and only a small amount of milk and juice. In Pascual’s Bi frutas, there is 10 % milk and 7 % juice, and in Don Simón, 15 % fruit and 10 % milk. In both cases, sugar and sweetener are added.
These drinks are not very nutritious, as they are drinking water at the price of juice or milk. They are therefore to be considered as soft drinks.
Isotonic drinks
Isotonic drinks are not juices, nor do they include juice in their composition. Although the word ‘orange’ appears prominently on many of them, this is not an ingredient, as the only orange present may be the added vitamin C. The orange colour is provided by colouring agents. The orange colour is provided by the colouring agents.
Soft drinks with orange juice
Soft drinks with juice are nothing more than soft drinks. Their small amount of juice made from fruit purees or fruit pulp is not enough to qualify them as juices. We should not be confused by their labelling, which is usually presented with the endorsement of their fruit content.
We can also find flavoured waters from mineral water brands that sell soft drinks with a small amount of fruit, but which are not juices. An example is the Font Vella flavoured water, with 10% juice in its composition.
Differences between natural and bottled orange juice
On many occasions we do not have the time to squeeze the fruit to obtain natural juice at home. It is then that we opt for bottled juice because it is more convenient. However, if we opt for the most similar option to natural juice, such as 100% squeezed juice, do we provide our organism with the same vitamins? Here are the differences between fresh and bottled juice.
Natural juice is characterised by the pulp that is present when the oranges are squeezed, which is mixed with the juice. The pulp contains many flavonoids that favour the intake of antioxidants and help to reduce cardiovascular problems. On the other hand, in packaged juices we do not usually find pulp and, therefore, by drinking them we cannot benefit from the antioxidant power of oranges.
On the other hand, natural juices are very rich in fibre, so drinking them helps us to regulate our intestinal flora. They also contain a lot of carbohydrates in the form of fructose, which is very beneficial for giving us energy. Packaged juices contain neither natural nutrients, nor fibre, nor vitamin C. In addition, unnatural juices contain artificial substances that improve their composition and allow them to be preserved for a longer period of time.
Finally, as far as taste is concerned, packaged orange juices have a very different taste to natural orange juices, as they contain added sugars that are very different from the natural fructose in the orange.
So much for all the information we have for you about bottled juices compared to natural juices. There is no doubt that natural juice made at home is always the best option both for its nutritional value and for its flavour and cheaper price. And remember that at NaranjasYa we have oranges directly from the farmer so that you can make natural juice at home and enjoy the authentic flavour of the orange.