In a perfect world, when we say juice, it should mean that 100% of it comes from the liquid that is extracted from fruits or vegetables. It’s supposed to be healthy, but with market competition, a lot of juices now sold on store shelves are actually not too good for you as they are loaded with preservatives, sweeteners, and other unwholesome junk. Nowadays, almost any drink that has fruit or vegetable flavors is called juice. This has given rise to specialty juice bars where people go to get 100% real juice and not adulterated stuff.
Juice Trivia
- In the US, a product can only be called “fruit juice” if it contains 100% fruit juice. If blended with other things like sweeteners or other ingredients, the words “drink” or “cocktail” must be added.
- Per capita, the US consumes 6.6 gallons of juice per year.
- Juice bars are establishments that primarily serve juices and may or may not have food items.
- Ninety percent of the orange crop in Florida is made into orange juice.
- Apple cider is apple juice that is unfiltered and still has coarse particles or pulp. It is not pasteurized so natural yeasts will make the drink fizzy and alcoholic.
- One hundred percent fruit juice contains no added sugars or sweeteners.
Juice Buying Guide
When it comes to juices, not all of them are created equal. We’re going to deviate from what we have done in the beverage section and switch it up a little bit. Since we’ve talked previously about what to avoid when purchasing beverages, this time we’re going to talk about what to look for specifically when in the market for juices.
- Unpasteurized / Not-Pasteurized – This is extremely important. Pasteurization allows juices to be stored longer on shelves and unrefrigerated. This kills all of the bacteria in the juice but it also deactivates a lot of the nutrients in the juice. So if you can find unpasteurized juice, then you’re getting the full vitamin and nutrient content of that juice, just make sure to check the best by dates as unpasteurized juices have very short shelf lives.
- Not from concentrate / 100% fruit juice – Fresh whole juice is what nature intended. To make concentrate from juice, it is heated and cooked, destroying a lot of the natural nutrients and vitamins in the process. You can see that most juices that come from concentrates will have “Added Vitamin X,Y,Z” to make up for the vitamins lost.
- USDA Organic – The USDA organic badge is always a good thing to look for on juice bottles. This means that the fruit or vegetable used in making the juice is sustainably grown with no pesticides or chemicals.
- Cold-pressed juice – Now this is a new term that’s been floating around. Cold pressing is slowly pressing the fruit or the vegetable to slowly extract the juice from it. This differs from standard juicing technologies that use centrifugal force to spin the juice away from the pulp and generating heat that can destroy the nutrients.
Now those four items listed above will tell you that you’re on the right track to picking the best juice, but they are not enough. You still have to check the label for any other additives and preservatives that might have been added.
The best place to get juice that’s unadulterated and is sure to be fresh is to visit or call your local juice bars. You can get the freshest juices from local fruits that are on season, and the best part is, most of them will deliver straight to your door. Some will even customize your juice to hit the specific flavor profile you’re looking for or to fit your nutritional requirements.
Juice Production & Farming in Texas
There are juice bars all over Texas where you can find freshly made juices. If you’re not a fan of new-age juice bars then you can always visit your local farmers’ market to see what local fruits are in season and have it juiced on the spot. Aside from these two options, there are also artisan juice makers locally that have a wide range of juice blends to choose from. These juice makers take what’s in season and blend them with other juices to make exciting and healthy choices that are freshly made upon order. Be sure to check out our listings below for our hand-picked juice spots that have consistently made fresh and amazing juices.
Pesticides:
Depending on the fruit or vegetable used, there may be some pesticide contamination that can be carried over when the fruit is juiced. This is another reason why if possible, you should always go for locally-sourced and organically grown fruit and vegetables for your juices.
Packaging:
Commercially produced juices can either be sold in boxes, DOY packs, plastic bottles, and glass bottles.
Enjoying Juices
Juices are best consumed cold and immediately after they have been made.
Storage:
Juices start to lose their nutrients and flavor once they have been exposed to air due to oxidation so they are best consumed immediately. If you have some leftover juice, it can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of one to two days.
For commercially purchased juices, refer to the packaging for storage instructions.
How to Make Your Own Juice:
Different types of fruit call for different methods of juicing to extract their full flavor and nutritional values. Here are some ways to extract your own juices without the need to purchase those expensive slow juicing machines that you can see in juice bars and artisan juice stores.
- Small Berries and Grapes – The best way to extract the juice from these is to mash them or to crush them. You can mash them with a potato masher or with a mortar and pestle. Strain the pulp through a fine mesh or through a cheesecloth. If you want, you can warm up the pulp so you can extract more juice, just don’t bring it to a boil.
- Large juicy fruits, oranges, lemons, and citrus – Squeezing is the best way to get the juice from citrus-type fruits. This is one of the reasons why the term “Fresh-squeezed” is typically associated with citrus fruits.
- For small fruits with pits in the middle, like plums and cherries – Heat the fruit until it bursts, but not boiling. Strain in a muslin bag overnight.
- For hard fruits and fibrous vegetables – One of the few ways you can juice this is with the use of a food processor or a blender. It is advisable to add a little bit of cold water (even though you won’t be getting 100% juice) but this will protect the juice from the heat generated by the blades. You can drink this directly to get the fiber or strain through a muslin bag or a fine-mesh strainer.
