Natural fruit juice is the most recommended way to hydrate yourself because it will provide you with a high supply of vitamins, in addition to quenching your thirst.
It is true that drinking juices will always be better than drinking sugary drinks (Coca Cola, Fanta or other soft drinks), but it is not the best option if you choose inappropriate juices. In this article we reveal the differences between the different types of juices: natural, concentrated and nectars.
Natural or concentrated juice?
In the market you’ll be able to find a good variety of fruit juices, but you’ve got to understand the way to differentiate between concentrated juice (made from concentrate) and natural juice (extracted directly from the fruit). Each sort of juice has different benefits and you need to learn to prioritize them according to what suits you best.
The juice extracted directly from the fruits does not go through any process, you simply obtain the juice from the squeezed fruit and then drink it. This is the way to ingest the greatest amount of vitamins, although it is convenient to consume it as soon as possible to take advantage of all its nutrients before they undergo oxidation processes.
On the other hand, concentrated or reconstituted juices are those that have been manufactured starting from a previously squeezed juice. Once squeezed, the juice follows several preservation processes, going through dehydration cases in which it is mixed with water to obtain the final mixture. Colorings, sugars and preservatives can be added to this mixture for the sole purpose of obtaining a flavor that is the closest thing to the fruit from which the squeezed juice comes. In general, the juice undergoes an evaporation process by which up to 80% of the water in the fruit is removed, losing more than half of its vitamins and minerals. And, once concentrated, the aromas, acids, water and all the necessary substances are added to permanently reconstitute the “juice”.
In conclusion, the main benefit of concentrated juices is that they are the most effective way to preserve the juice for a longer time, in addition to avoiding the work of chopping, squeezing and cleaning. However, although both hydrate equally, natural juices will give you a greater vitamin contribution.
100% squeezed juice
It is fresh squeezed fruit, without adding or removing any other component. To have greater security, these juices undergo a pasteurization process, differentiating between those that are kept at room temperature and those that you find refrigerated.
The 100% squeezed juices that are kept refrigerated better maintain the original flavor of the squeezed fruit. In contrast, they can be kept for a shorter period of time (only 3 months) compared to other 100% squeezed juices.
The 100% squeezed juice that you can find in the supermarket is first class, because of its texture and flavor it would be the closest and similar to the natural juice that you can prepare and squeeze at home.
And the nectar?
Nectar is made up of juice, water and sugar. The minimum juice content for a nectar is 45%. It is better to drink juice based on concentrate or natural juices before nectar since, from a nutritional point of view, the nectar is not so complete.
These types of drinks are rich in a type of sugar called fructose, and the intake of sugary liquid for a long period of time can produce a resistance in the body to leptin, a hormone that regulates the level of lipids in the blood, causing metabolic alterations.