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Todays Health Article

January 12th, 2012

Today you could simply ask the question…how many people want to take the necessary actions to enact a more healthier  lifestyle, among others, by drinking their fruit juice. There are some who just love their juice. But is it still healthy.

Then the lives we live, have become so busy, we tend to take short cuts or not always focused on how to accomplish the very thing we need to do to stay healthy.

Although some choose to making their own juice, most of you buy your  juice in cartons or bottles at the supermarket, and then store it in the fridge. Here is where we fall short of drinking healthy!

Drinking Our Juice or Not

However, when does our juice actually get drank or not, depending on a number of factors,  mostly because we are too  busy,  and we neglect to check, or take the time to check the juice in the refrigerator. If you are not a real juice drinker or you buy in abundance, the juice is left there for weeks! Now the discovery  may be by the expiration date… which is not likely,  because few of of us read them after the juices  are in the frig… but when it’s blah or spoiled! The question is when is our juice still healthy for us, and when is it not?

Actually, you may know, that some foods and drinks could actually lose the benefits of vitamins and antioxidants after exposure to air in a matter of days or weeks?

Brierley Wright, MS, RD, a master’s in Nutrition Communication at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, provides some clues about how long should we store certain kinds of food. To be sure, certain nutrients will be lost after exposure to oxygen, heat (when cooking), and light.

Orange Juice

A glass of orange juice, to meet the  vitamin C required in a day, that may be packaged in a box or bottle, after opening will lose all the benefits of antioxidants after 1 week.

To get your vitamin C, buy frozen juice concentrate and  drink in a few days. Frozen concentrate can be exposed in a little light and air and provide a healthy drink.

Apple Juice

With Apple juice refrigeration will slow down the spoilage, but it won’t kill the bacteria that will form after a time.  So eventually, bacteria will attack the natural sugars present in the juice, causing the juice to ferment.

Just like the other juices, the vitamin C that is naturally in the apple juice, will break down as well.  Since vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps the product keep its color, after the expiration date, there is a gradual loss of taste, quality, color, and nutrition, although there is no danger to the consumer.  However, there is a lose of health benefits, and your apple juice will turn into vinegar, leaving not such a nice taste.

Cranberry Juice

Cranberry juice depending the percentage of water and added fill-ins to sweeten the taste falls into a similar case as the other juices. But if we are actually talking about 100% cranberry juice, its shelf life in the frig is a lot longer due to the acidity of the drink and the low content of sugar. You might be surprised that some brands due not even have expiration date regarding the use. However, if exposed to sunlight will discolor as well. It is best like any other juice to drink within a short time frame to benefit from this very healthy drink

 Pineapple Juice

You may have wondered why pineapple juice either is frozen or comes in those old fashion cans. It use to be that most fruit juices were sold that way, but not today after the plastic bottle has basically taken over the packaging of juices. Well pineapple is  very susceptible to light, thus the can provides the best protection and the longest life. Putting the juice in a can gives the juice a two to three year life span if stored in a cool dry area.

Once Juices are Opened

If fruit juices are exposed to sunlight or over the temperature of 65degrees… the health benefit becomes to lessen and the shelf life as well. This must be taken into consideration regarding how long your juice will be healthy and have the best flavor. So once the glass is poured, its best to return to the frig and not leave sitting on the table.

Todays Health Comments

Fruit juices today are important for a healthy diet considering you are drinking the juice within the shelf life that allows you to benefit the fullest. It is important to manage them like any other food or drink in the frig that the will spoil and turn into fermentation at some point. If you think they have been opened for a period of time, it easy to open and smell or if they have expiration dates to verify the continued use. To healthy drinking.

 Further Reading

Orange Juice

Todays Health Drinks