Don’t be duped by fruit-flavored beverages with little natural fruit juice, such as those labeled as "drinks," "-ades," "punches," "cocktails," or "beverages."

100% Orange Juice is "Best In Glass"

Not all orange-colored or orange-flavored fruit beverages are created equal. When making a choice for your children, be certain you are getting the most nutritious option — pure and natural 100 percent orange juice. It’s not always easy to tell because the labels on some sugar-laden beverages may be confusing. Package graphics and words may lead you to believe that the drinks are a nutritious choice for your child. And these various fruit “ades,” “cocktails” and “drinks” are often shelved right beside wholesome 100 percent orange juice. They may look the same, but many contain added sugars and little real fruit juice.

By comparison, 100 percent orange juice is a nutritional standout. Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients, 100 percent orange juice is one of the most nutrient-dense 100% fruit juices commonly consumed in the United States.¹ Plus, it tastes great and although fresh fruit is the best option, the USDA recognizes that 100 percent juice is a healthy choice to help children get the daily fruit servings they need. Start the good eating habits early!

How to Make the Distinction

With all the “fruit” beverage choices available, it is often confusing to determine which ones are the most nutritious. Gail Rampersaud, MS, RD, with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences offers the following tips to help parents interpret the nutritional value of juice beverages and make the best choice for their families:

• Look for 100 percent. Aim for orange fruit beverages that specifically say ‘100 percent orange juice’ on the label. This tells you they contain only the natural juice found in whole fruit and will therefore be naturally rich in a variety of nutrients.
• Make sure additions don’t distract from the overall nutritional value. Fortifying a beverage with vitamin C allows manufacturers to state it provides “100% vitamin C.” However, this claim often deflects attention from the fact that they usually contain less than 10% real juice, have added sugars, and are missing other essential nutrients. By comparison, 100 percent orange juice provides vitamin C and other important nutrients with no added sugar- only the naturally occurring sugars found in fresh fruit.
• Beware of “drinks,” “ades,” “punches,” “cocktails” and other cleverly worded “beverages.” These drinks have added sugars, don’t have the same nutrient profile as 100 percent juices, and don’t help fulfill fruit intake recommendations.
• Look for wording that indicates the beverage is 100 percent juice, lists a variety of nutrients, and has a shorter list of ingredients.

Nutritional Standout

A 6-ounce serving of 100 percent orange juice for children ages one to six, for example, contains less than 85 calories and delivers among the highest nutrient densities of many commonly consumed 100 percent fruit juices. ¹

• Vitamin C: Orange juice naturally provides at least 100% of the Daily Value for vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that can help neutralize free radicals to help fight cell and tissue damage that can lead to diseases.
• Folate: One hundred percent orange juice is the most popular and one of the few 100 percent fruit juices that provides significant amounts of natural folate, which is essential for growth and development and which cannot be fortified in fruit juices. 
• Potassium: Orange juice is a good source of potassium and plays an important role in a child’s health to help muscles function properly during physical activity. A 6-ounce glass of 100% orange juice is a good source of potassium that may help support bone health by helping to neutralize acidity that could lead to loss of calcium from bone.