Pay attention in the juice aisle
Are you reading the labels on the juices you buy before putting them in your cart? You may want to make sure you do, because surprisingly, most of what you will find is not really juice at all, but rather reconstituted fruit juice concentrate with added sweeteners, preservatives, and flavorings. These are added to bring back the flavor of the fruit that was lost during the evaporation process. Yikes!
Why juice concentrate is bad for your health
Juice from concentrate is juice that has had most of its water content removed through a filtration and extraction process which removes most of the nutrients and fiber from the fruit. What you are left with is a thick syrup loaded with sugar. When ready to reconstitute, water is added back in, but unfortunately not the nutrients and fiber that were removed. Most juices from concentrates also add additional sweeteners, preservatives, “natural flavors”, and/or fortified with “Vitamin C” which is actually ascorbic acid, the synthetic Vitamin C. You can read about the some of the dangers of ascorbic acid here.
But let’s quickly touch down on “natural flavors”. In the food and beverage industry, the term “all natural” is so poorly regulated, manufacturers can use it even when their products are full of chemicals and preservatives. As defined by the FDA, a natural flavor is a substance extracted, distilled or similarly derived from plant or animal matter, either as is or after it has been roasted, heated or fermented, and whose function is for flavor, not nutrition. We say no thank you to natural flavors.
So, what about added sugars? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you get less than 10% of your daily calories from added sugars, because a diet high in added sugars is linked to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and immune disorders which can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and inflammation. We say no thank you to that as well! But wait, there’s more.
Your fruit juice may be from China
Another concern for consumers should be where the fruit for the concentrate was grown. As we mentioned in our previous blog post How North Coast Organic Is Helping Our Local Apple Growers Thrive, China is the world’s largest exporter of apple juice concentrate, and its biggest buyer is the United States. In fact, two-thirds of all apple juice consumed in the US is made with China’s fruit juice concentrate. China has been called out in the news numerous times in recent years for its poor environmental and waste management practices, excessive application of chemicals and fertilizer, and lack of government and food safety regulations.
So why is this done? Good question. Fruit juices are reduced down to concentrate in order to lessen its shipment weight and lengthen its shelf life, making it a much cheaper option for big juice manufacturers. The goal of these companies is not to produce the most nutritious juice for you, the consumer, but to make the cheapest, longest lasting juice in bulk because it’s better for business.
Our promise to you – Concentrate vs. Non-Concentrate
North Coast Organic juices and apple cider vinegar are never made from concentrate. Instead, the freshest fruit is delivered to our facility in Sebastopol, so that our customers can have the healthiest juice and cider possible. We use only fruit grown in the western US, and because our products are certified organic, they are free of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and dyes, and aren’t processed using industrial solvents, irradiation or genetic engineering. You can always trust North Coast Organic to have your family’s nutritional needs in mind.
Find out where you can buy North Coast juices and ciders on the North Coast Organic store locator.
North Coast Organic apple products are made in Sebastopol, CA from U.S. grown certified organic apples. They contain no added sugars, preservatives, colorings or flavorings. If you have anymore questions, Please Contact Us today.
