What do you do when you are dehydrated or feel drained out? You may reach out for healthy juices or other beverages for the much-needed respite. However, they shouldn’t be considered just for immediate relief for your parched throat. Store-bought drinks contain many ingredients. Whether you like orange, apple, pineapple, or some other flavor, scan the label to understand what you are about to ingest. The right beverages nourish your body by supplying vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and more. You can increase your immunity and strength. Simultaneously, low-quality packaged drinks can overload your system with sugar and harmful additives. 

Types of Ingredients Used in Beverage

You can encounter options like 100% pure juice, fruit juice concentrate, and fruit pulp on the shelves. Bottled pure juices may be free of additives and sugar. Juice concentrates are generally made with dehydrated fruit and then mixed with equal amount of water. They can contain up to 1.5% sugar, even though there is no mention of it in the label. Fruit pulp can be a mixture of sugar, water, and puree or juice. It can have high amount of sugar. For the best knowledge, always examine the nutrition label. Suppose a bottle offering two servings of juice has total sugars 25g. The entire bottle may actually be carrying 50g total sugars. If you have diabetes or weight issues, you would want to avoid these and pick a low-sugar or low-calorie variety.

Many focus on the vitamin C content when checking the nutrition label. It is believed that beverages with vitamin C help fight common cold, aging, and other illnesses by strengthening immunity. In the food and drink industry, vitamin C is also referred to as ascorbic acid. While it naturally occurs in some fruits and vegetables, you also find its presence in beverages as preservatives. They serve two purposes - health and drink safety. Its antioxidant property protects the content from oxidation. At the same time, you need it for the well-being of your collagen, your immunity, etc.  

The Dilemma Processed or Natural Juice 

The label descriptions often read 100% Juice, 100% Natural, and Raw. What do you understand from this? Does it mean processed or fresh? The term ‘Raw’ is relevant for cold-pressed fruit with short lifespan of up to three days. However, they can last up to 45 days if made through environmentally-friendly high pressure processing method. Many smoothie and juice preparations are preserved through this without affecting their nutritional values, such as proteins, vitamins, enzymes, and probiotics. 

Nevertheless, 100% Juice indicates that the content in the bottle belongs to certain veggies or fruits that may not be demonstrated on the packet. Think of 100% cranberry juice variety. Even though it may have pear or apple juice, cranberry juice can still be referred to as 100% juice. Then, pasteurized and unpasteurized are other things. Keeping all this in mind can be challenging. However, it’s better to realize that natural and processed juices are still better than soda or frozen beverages. 

Healthier Beverage Options

Are you looking for a natural healthy drink for your gut? Get probiotic-rich fermented drinks - kombucha or kefir. If you were looking for lactic acid in beverages, you don’t need to look any further. Lactic acid improves immunity, lactose digestion, vitamin and mineral absorption power, etc. When used as additive, it can enhance the drink’s flavor and regulate acidity. Other than these, you can always enjoy fresh juices, infused water, herbal teas, and low-sugar smoothies. These natural drinks can have little to no processing effects. 

Pro Tips for Beverage Selection

If you want to avoid sugar and calories, water is the most reliable choice. 100% juice, herb or fruit infused water, 100% juice, and unsweetened beverages are also dependable. Some juices contain high level of added sugars. However, most 100% juice feature on natural sugar. If you drink juice, keep your consumption level to 8 ounces. Whenever you get time, make fresh juice at home. It’s the best choice. Or, at least ensure you opt for minimally processed beverages. 

Drinking the right beverage is essential to stay well hydrated and reap the benefits of various nutrients. If you pick store-bought products, read their nutritional labels before deciding anything.