Juice!

A question from a reader...

I just wanted to ask you what juice you recommend. I love drinking orange juice and mango juice mostly but I try to drink in moderation because I know they are loaded with sugar.  But, anyway ....I wanted to know if you have a preference for a specific brand or what not because now a days it is so hard to find 100% natural juices that don't have a lot of sugar and if they do have sugar none of that fake sugar (high corn fructose syrup stuff).  I drink no sodas and stick to water, gatorade, and juices.  

I also heard lemon juice is really good for you.  Is that true? 

Thanks!

Laura :)

Laura,

Juice...hmm. This is where I'm going to throw you off a bit. I have noticed in the prevalent Spanish community that I work in that there is a misunderstanding that "juice" is good for you. As a whole, juice has a lot LESS nutrition than calories. For instance, the mango juice you drink has around 120 calories in 6 oz, and 26gm of sugar. Sure, there is a little vitamin C, but in my opinion, not nearly enough to counteract the empty calories. So, juice is an obvious better choice over soda...but water, and crystal light are better options. If a juice is a necessity, stick to the 50/50 (half calorie) kind, or the juices which do hold a lot of nutritional value, like pure squeezed orange juice (with the pulp). Again..the key is not to necessarily rid yourself of the things you love (including juice), but to enjoy them..in moderation!

...and as far as the lemon juice is concerned..I am not directly aware of any overt health benefits, but a quick google search did educate me on a lot of "homeopathic" uses of it!...hmm..maybe some research is in order....:)

xo,

Dr. Tiffany