If you love juice, don’t beat yourself to a pulp — some kinds are actually good for you.
Drinking juice may seem like a healthy way to consume fruits or vegetables, but many juices are loaded with sugars and calories. However, that doesn’t mean that some juices can’t be part of a healthy diet.
Registered dietitians Natalie Rizzo and Lisa Young told “Today” which juices they believe are the healthiest. They said drinking a half glass, or 4 ounces of fruit juice daily, can be part of a healthy diet.
Checking the label in the grocery store is a good place to start. Some juices have high fructose corn syrup added, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 to 2025.
Rizzo suggested that people make sure what they are consuming is 100% juice.
“Since 100% juice is made from just the fruit or vegetable, it doesn’t have any added sugar,” she noted. “Drinking juice is a good way to get in some nutrients from the food if you can’t meet your daily fruit or veggie intake.”
Here are their healthy sipping tips:
Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate is high in polyphenols, antioxidants that fight inflammation, Rizzo said.
The antioxidants in pomegranate juice may help prevent cancer, boost digestive health, reduce insulin resistance and provide vitamin C, according to Medical News Today.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that pomegranate juice may help visual memory in older adults.
Beet juice
Rizzo explained that beet juice is a vasodilator which means that it increases blood flow in the body.
Beet juice also may lower blood pressure, improve exercise stamina, improve muscle strength in people with heart failure, help people maintain a healthy weight, support the liver, reduce cholesterol and provide a good source of folate and potassium, according to Healthline.
Low-sodium vegetable juice
Low-sodium V8 is low-calorie and is a great source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium, according to Healthiness. Young told “Today” that she likes a blend of vegetable juices like V8 over plain tomato juice.
V8 provides consumers with two servings of vegetables, but the juice should not be a vegetable replacement.
Young said of all the juices, V8 is the best for weight loss. Instead of drinking just 4 ounces, people can drink up to 8 ounces of veggie juice.
Tart cherry juice
Young said a glass of tart cherry juice without added sugar is the best option.
“Tart cherry juice is one of my favorites to recommend to athletes because it’s been shown to reduce muscle soreness,” Rizzo advised.
Tart cherries also have tryptophan and melatonin, making them a natural sleep aid.
Orange juice
Orange juice is the most popular juice in the US. It’s high in vitamin C and antioxidants, according to Healthline.
However, orange juice tends to be high in calories and sugar which could lead to diabetes or issues with weight management.
