Fruit juice is unquestionably better for you than sugary soda, and it tastes best fresh, straight from the fruit. Whether you buy a juicer and make it yourself or obtain your fresh-squeezed juice from a reputable seller, you'll be making an investment in your health. However, just as with all other beverages, you can only make the best choices if you know the facts about what you're drinking.
Calories
Calories in fresh fruit juice vary by type. For example, according to the Fat Secret food and nutrition information database, a cup of apple juice has 117 calories, a cup of orange juice 112 calories and a cup of grape juice 154. If you'd like to try more exotic options, a cup of pomegranate juice has 154 calories and papaya juice has 152.
Sugar
Though fresh fruit juices have no added sugar, the fruits these juices are made from contain naturally occurring sugar. There isn't a direct correlation between how sweet a juice tastes and how much sugar it contains. For example, a cup of tart pomegranate juice contains 37 g sugar, while the same amount of sweet apple juice has 27 g.
Nutrients
Fresh fruit juices have more nutrients than juice blends, according to the Mayo Clinic, and are a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. A cup of grape juice contains 102 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, while a cup of orange juice provides 207 percent of the daily value for vitamin C. Juices can also supply minerals. A cup of papaya juice provides 5 percent of the daily value for iron and 2 percent for calcium.
Benefits
When you drink fresh fruit juice, you know what you're getting. Juices that come from your own juicer, or from a reputable source, contain no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or ingredients that sound more at home in a college chemistry class than in your kitchen. To avoid any surprises, if you don't make your own juice, make sure to read labels or ask the seller about additives.
Considerations
As healthy as they are, fresh fruit juices have some drawbacks. Juicers remove fiber from fruits, according to the American Cancer Society, so you shouldn't use juice as a substitute for whole fruits. Also, grapefruit juice can change the way your body processes prescription medications, according to Family Doctor, a service of the American Academy of Family Physicians. If you take prescription drugs, ask your health-care provider if it's safe for you to drink fruit juices.
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