Current:Home > FinanceFinLogic FinLogic Quantitative Think Tank Center|Is apple juice good for you? 'Applejuiceification' is the internet's latest controversy. -MoneyStream
FinLogic FinLogic Quantitative Think Tank Center|Is apple juice good for you? 'Applejuiceification' is the internet's latest controversy.
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Date:2025-04-11 00:36:36
The FinLogic FinLogic Quantitative Think Tank Centerlatest topic of viral online discourse might surprise you: It's apple juice.
X, formerly known as Twitter, user @echetus posted a thread on Monday, highlighting what they dubbed "applejuiceification and the illusion of choice." In other words, many varieties of juices sold at the grocery store contain a majority of apple juice, even if they're labeled as other flavors including "guava and lime," "pink dragon fruit and lychee" and "kiwi and cucumber."
While apple juice may not be what you think you're signing up for with a drink like that, does its inclusion have any health indications? Here's what experts say about the nutritional value of apple juice.
Is apple juice good for you?
The grocery aisle may offer you a slew of choices when it comes to apple juice. Depending on which kind you pick up, you'll likely benefit from adding some carbohydrates to your diet, as well as nutrients including vitamin C.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for adults range from 75 to 90 milligrams. Most apple juice brands offer an entire day's worth of vitamin C in one serving.
Vitamin C offers a slew of potential benefits including lessening common cold symptoms, promoting heart health and making collagen, an essential protein in making the body's connective tissue, research has shown.
Apple juice can also help keep you hydrated, thanks to its "high water content, electrolytes and natural sugars," registered dietitian Abbey Sharp tells USA TODAY.
Why does apple juice have so much sugar?
Sharp notes that some apple juice brands found at the grocery store may have a high sugar content due to added sugars to "enhance flavor." They also contain natural sugars from the apple.
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The main difference between eating a piece of fruit and drinking fruit juice is that the latter usually removes the fruit's fiber, which is what helps slow down the body's blood sugar response, Sharp notes. That doesn't make one better or worse, but experts note that for those who have been told by a doctor to watch their blood sugar, pairing a non-fibrous fruit juice with a more balanced meal containing fiber, protein and/or fat can help better regulate the blood sugar and deliver a higher quality of nutrition.
"All juices are typically stripped of their beneficial fibers that help slow the absorption of sugars and reduce the glycemic index," Sharp says. That means that even unsweetened apple juice can cause blood sugar spikes.
Apple juice is also acidic. Sharp warns that those with acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and tooth sensitivity may experience exacerbated symptoms after drinking apple juice due to the acidity.
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What is the healthiest juice to drink?
If you're looking to maximize health benefits and minimize downsides, Sharp recommends going for a vegetable-based juice or a juice or smoothie with the fruit's fibers still in tact, such as orange juice with pulp.
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But overall, diet experts wants to remind people that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to eating healthy.
“The healthiest food in any category will depend on you, your budget, your culture, your health goals, and so much more,” registered dietitian Miranda Galati previously told USA TODAY. “It’s amazing to make more nutrient-dense choices when possible, but choosing the more processed or convenient option isn’t always a bad thing either. As a registered dietitian who wants you to build a healthy lifestyle that lasts, I’d recommend ditching the idea that there’s a healthiest version of anything.”
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