How do you shop for orange juice? There are so many brands and varieties out there - and everyone has a different palate and preferences. Our family looks at the ingredient label and always opts for 100% OJ (usually with some pulp).
I recently had an opportunity to submit YOUR questions to Tropicana about orange juice. Here goes:
Q1 from LaVonne: Pulp or no pulp? Which variety is healthier and why?
A1: Orange juice is sold with and without pulp to delight consumers of all different taste preferences. Nutritionally speaking, there is no difference between 100% OJ with pulp and without pulp.
Q2 from Jenny: What is the difference between orange juice from concentrate versus not?
A2: Not-from-concentrate means the fruit is squeezed, the juice is pasteurized and then packaged. Tropicana Pure Premium is never from concentrate.
From-concentrate means the fruit is squeezed, the water is extracted, which produces a concentrated form similar to that you see in the frozen food department. At a later time the water is added back in and the juice is pasteurized and packaged.
Q3 from Tiffany: Can you respond to the claims in this post by Kristen of Food Renegade?
A3: Tropicana is committed to offering great-tasting 100 percent orange juice with no added sugars or preservatives. We take the faith that consumers place in our products seriously and are committed to full compliance with labeling laws and regulations. Learn more about how we make OJ here.
Q4 from Vanessa: I'm concerned about the sugar content in juice for my kids. A) What are the health benefits for little ones and B) how much should I limit their consumption?
A4: Orange juice is one of the most nutrient-dense 100% fruit juices [1] (meaning it’s made up of more nutrients per calorie than many juices like apple and grape). Just one 8-ounce glass of Tropicana Pure Premium 100% orange juice provides two fruit servings, a full day’s supply of vitamin C, a good source of folate and thiamin, and as much potassium as a medium banana.
Also, consider these common misconceptions about fruit juice.
MYTH: One hundred percent juice has added sugar.
FACT: According to a September-October 2010 Juice Products Association survey, less than half of respondents were aware that 100 percent juice has no added sugars. Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice has no added sugars or sweeteners, and is an all-natural and easy way to achieve a power-pack of nutrients.
MYTH: Children and teens who drink juice are less healthy than those that don’t.
FACT: According to recent reviews of NHANES data, children and teens who drink 100 percent fruit juice tend to have [2] more nutritious diets [3]. In addition, children who consumed 100 percent juice and teens who consumed more than 6oz of 100% juice per day also consumed significantly more servings of total whole fruit than non-consumers. The majority of studies in this area have found no association between 100 percent fruit juice consumption and weight status. While no cause and effect relationship can be drawn from cross-sectional studies like these, the findings suggest that 100% juice can be part of an overall healthy diet for children and adolescents.
The amount of juice for children varies by age. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children between the ages of 1-6 should consume no more than 4-6 fl oz of 100% juice daily, while 7-18 year olds should consume no more than 8-12 fl oz of 100% juice per day. The majority of fruit consumption should come from whole fruits [4].
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Disclosure: I have a formal relationship with Tropicana Pure Premium as a “TropiMomma” blogger. I was compensated for this post. All opinions remain 100% my own.
We never buy orange juice. I don't care for the taste of orange juice even though I do enjoy oranges occasionally. My husband wouldn't go through a carton on his own before it gets weird. Actually, I hardly ever buy any juice. We also don't do juice with our 20 month old. He drinks water, whole milk with dinner (only started within the last couple weeks) and he's still nursing. He's a great fruit eater so I don't worry about his fruit intake. Plus I think eating whole fruit and washing it down with water is better for his teeth. On a side note water is also much easier to clean up on our rented carpet floors than some sticky juice since he still likes to drink out of an open cup.
We always have OJ in our frig for my husband & me. That said, I rarely if ever give it to my kids. My reasoning is twofold. 1. My kids are fruit obsessed. They eat TONS of fresh whole fruits all day long so I'm not sure OJ would give them anything they aren't already getting enough of. My son loves oranges & clementines so much he actually gets sores on his tongue & cheeks from the acidity. 2. If I give my kids juice vs water or milk they have to go potty every 20 minutes! Does anyone else have this problem? It's not ideal especially for my almost 3yo who still needs help in the bathroom.
But, like I said we still always have OJ in hand. I drink a glass every morning before my coffee. I buy the kind with added calcium & vitamin D to give myself an extra boost.
Thanks for doing this legwork, Stephanie! Very informative.
My biggest concern, with OJ, is country of origin. I think it was Brazilian OJ that made the news lately with pesticide that is banned in the US. I think that has been successfully handled, but who knows when the next problem will crop up; I feel slightly safer purchasing from US growers. I will often by organic OJ, but that isn't always possible in all stores. Are Tropicana's oranges sourced from American growers?
Hippie4ever, hi, I work on Tropicana's communications team and wanted to answer your question. Tropicana Pure Premium is 100% pure Florida OJ!
Yes! Tropicana's oranges are all grown right here in the U.S. Florida, to be exact. That's another reason why we choose Tropicana Pure Premium at the grocery store!
Thanks for this Stephanie! Our son (3 years) LOVES his OJ. We buy Tropicana too but without pulp. I'm glad to see we are not missing out on any health benefits with the no pulp variety. Our one challenge is he loves his OJ so much that he neglects to drink enough water, so we've been freezing the juice in ice cubes, then giving him a glass of water with a couple OJ ice cubes. We've also given him glasses of 50-50 OJ and water.
We love Tropicana Orange Juice - I usually opt for the some pulp variety! I love the fact that 100% juice does not have added sugar and that is one reason we only purchase 100% juice when we buy juice.