Sharpen Your Beverage IQ

(ARA) - One of the biggest challenges for parents is keeping their kids' good nutrition in check. Temptations abound from soda to various “ades,” “cocktails” and “drinks” that look like nutritious fruit juice but contain lots of added sugar and are typically lower in nutrients compared to 100 percent juices. With so many choices, how do parents choose the best thirst quencher for their children? First, skip the cola aisle. Next, sharpen your beverage IQ when it comes to juice.

According to Gail Rampersaud, M.S., R.D. with the University of Florida, Gainesville, the key is to start with 100 percent juice. “The percent of fruit juice is the first thing to look for on the label. You want to find a product that specifically says 100 percent fruit juice. And read carefully -- some juice drinks are labeled ‘100 percent vitamin C’ but are not 100 percent juice and often lack other key nutrients offered by 100 percent juice.”

Unlike sodas and sugar-laden fruit drinks, 100 percent juice can play a positive role in a child’s diet, providing vitamins and minerals essential to good health. Plus, the USDA includes 100 percent juice as a healthy option to help children meet daily fruit intake recommendations.

But not all 100 percent juices are created equal. A new study by Rampersaud shows orange juice provides more nutrients per calorie than other commonly consumed 100 percent fruit juices including apple, grape, pineapple and prune.

“Fruit juices vary considerably in the quantity of nutrients per calorie,” explains Rampersaud. “The study uncovered just how much better the nutrient profile of 100 percent orange juice is on a per-calorie basis than other commonly consumed non-citrus fruit juices.”

A six-ounce serving of 100 percent orange juice naturally contributes key nutrients that are essential to a child’s diet:

* Vitamin C: The vitamin works to neutralize free radicals to help fight cell and tissue damage that could lead to diseases.

* Folate: Orange juice is the most popular and one of the few 100 percent fruit juices considered to be a good source of natural folate, which is essential for growth and development.

* Potassium: Orange juice is a good source of potassium, which may play an important role in cardiovascular health.

Staying on top of children’s health will allow them to start the new school year healthy while teaching them habits to aid in a lifetime of better health. For more on the health benefits of 100 percent juice and its role in children’s diets, visit www.FloridaJuice.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

Rampersaud GC. A comparison of nutrient density scores for 100 percent fruit juices. Journal of Food Science. 2007; 72(4):S261-S266.