13 Of The Best Store-Bought Juices You Can Buy
A tall glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice will quench your thirst and help bring you closer to meeting your daily dietary recommendations. Unfortunately, not everyone can juice fresh fruits and vegetables at home. Going from visiting the farmers' market to trying new juice recipes in your kitchen costs time, which not everyone has.
Either way, your busy schedule shouldn't rob you of the benefits of consuming more fruits and veggies. Store-bought juices might be a great way to supplement your diet and get essential nutrients on the go. Even if you love making juices at home, you may get some from the store on days you don't feel like dirtying up the kitchen.
But there are some reservations about consuming store-bought juices. UC Davis Health reveals that some are notoriously loaded with sugars and may contain additives like artificial colors and flavors. Dr. Donald Hensrud, medical director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, warns that overly-processed fruit juices aren't very different from sodas, energy drinks, and other high-sugar beverages.
However, store-bought juices are not all bad, as some brands bottle the true goodness of fruits and vegetables. Here's a guide to some of the best juices you can pick up during your next grocery store run.
1. Simply
You've likely seen beverages from Simply sitting on the shelves at your local grocery store. This brand makes all kinds of juices, including orange, apple, peach, and pineapple juice. Simply uses fresh fruits to make all their beverages.
Simply says it wants its customers to know that great-tasting juices can be made with just one ingredient — fresh juice — and nothing else. The brand reiterates that its juices have no added colors, sweeteners, or preservatives. This may be why some shoppers appreciate its refreshing taste. One Kroger consumer remarked that the Simply orange juice "tastes homemade, natural, and yet still delicious!" On the company's FAQ page, Simply reveals the secret to its fresh-tasting orange juice is sourcing quality fruits when in season. It also keeps the beverages chilled but never frozen.
Simply offers many kinds of orange juices, such as the pulp-free, low-acid, high pulp, with mango, and with pineapple variants. It also has two other orange juices fortified with additional nutrients, calcium, and vitamin D. Worried about allergens? Simply reassures customers that its, "juices and juice drinks do not contain ingredients with any of the big eight allergens."
2. Nature's Promise
"Nature's Promise juice [is] the best!" This is how one consumer describes the brand on the review site Influenster. Although individual preferences vary, positive feedback is an asset for any brand, and Nature's promise isn't lacking.
Nature's Promise Berry the Lead, cold-pressed juice provides lots of fiber. Each serving contains 14 grams of fiber, which is 56% of your daily requirements, per the product page on Instacart. Therefore, if you need to add more fiber to your diet, you've got it.
Additionally, Nature's Promise Berry the Lead is low in sodium, only containing 3% of your daily needs. The nutrient label adds that it's made from real fruits and veggies and not concentrate. You might spot other juices from Nature's Promise on the store shelves, such as grape juice, apple juice, and cranberry juice. These beverages are certified organic by the USDA. They're also GMO-free and don't contain added sugars.
3. Honest Kids Organic Juice Drink
Honest Kids makes some of the healthiest organic juice drinks for children. Honest Kids juices are available in flavors such as Super Fruit Punch, Appley Ever After, Berry Good Demonade, Goodness Grapeness, Cherry Go Round, Strawberry Peachy Keen, and Twisted Tropical Tango. In stores like Walmart, buyers may find large variety packs of 40 Honest Kids Organic juice boxes in assorted flavors.
The brand only makes organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO beverages. This might appeal to shoppers with digestive issues like celiac. What's more, Honest Kids juices don't contain major allergens.
Another pleasing feature of Honest Kids juice drinks is their low sugar content. According to the company, each 6.75-fluid-ounce pack contains only 9 grams of sugar, a considerable drop from the 20 grams in other juice brands. Despite containing low sugar, these juice drinks don't taste bad. One Honest Kids Organic Juice reviewer said they "have about half the sugar of traditional juice boxes/pouches and have a totally awesome flavor." Other comments add that Honest Kids juice boxes make great snacks for school.
4. Open Nature
Open Nature cranberry juice from Safeway is a delicious beverage made from only cranberries and no concentrate. Some consumers love the sour taste of Open Nature cranberry juice, but if you find that too much to handle, one reviewer suggests mixing it with ginger ale to turn it into a spritzer.
Per Instacart, the juice doesn't contain peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk, wheat, or gluten; hence it may fit restricted diets for people with allergies or gut problems. It's also low in sugar — containing 18 grams per serving — which might interest shoppers looking to reduce their sugar consumption.
Besides being a tasty beverage, cranberry juice may offer some health benefits. A study published by the journal Frontiers in Microbiology in 2017 revealed that cranberry juice might help improve urinary tract infections. Medical News Today adds that cranberry juice offers other benefits like protecting the heart, fighting infections, and managing the risks of menopause. Open Nature also produces other beverages, such as pomegranate juice, guava nectar, black cherry, mango nectar, and tart cherry.
5. Bolthouse Farms
Although Bolthouse Farms dates back to 1915, the company first started making beverages in 2002. The product list is versatile and includes smoothies, mixed fruit blends, and juices like carrot, pomegranate, and orange. Bolthouse Farms also has an orange juice made entirely of organic fruits for customers who prefer organic fruit juices.
Generally, the company serves customers looking for clean beverages by providing fresh juices straight from the farm without additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives. The juices are processed by flash pasteurization, which minimizes nutrient loss without compromising food safety and helps retain the farm-fresh taste for which the company is known. Customers agree, with one person declaring on ChickAdvisor, "This stuff is DELICIOUS – tastes like a glass of freshness." Speaking of Bolthouse Farms' Green Goodness, another consumer added, "This is the best tasting green juice in my opinion. Lots of great, healthy ingredients," (via Influenster).
6. Santa Cruz
If Santa Cruz organic juices look familiar, you've probably spotted one at Whole Foods, Target, or other grocery stores. With over 40 juices and blends available, Santa Cruz Organics offers shoppers a wide variety of flavors from which to choose. Santa Cruz doesn't leave the kids out either, as they also have a line of beverages for kids.
The brand assures consumers that it only works with farmers who meet strict quality standards. Santa Cruz produces fresh juices throughout the year — even when the fruits are no longer in season — by using concentrates made from previously harvested produce. The company ensures the fruits don't lose their essence during the concentration process to keep the juice tasting fresh. Many comments referenced the delicious and refreshing flavor of Santa Cruz juices in their reviews. One person said, " I absolutely love every juice from this company." Consumers also appreciate Santa Cruz beverages for being non-GMO and gluten-free.
Furthermore, Santa Cruz organics wants customers to know it prioritizes saving the environment. The brand's sustainable production practices have earned it recognition, particularly the "TRUE Platinum Zero Waste Certification — the highest level available — by Green Business Certification Inc."
7. Sambazon
Sambazon makes tropical fruit juices from açaí berries and dragon fruit. The brand takes great care to use only sustainably-obtained fresh and organic fruits in its drinks.
Taking a closer look at the Sambazon original açaí fresh juice, you'll find that each bottle is packed with more than 560 açaí berries. Açaí berries make healthy snacks and provide essential nutrients like vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. According to Medical News Today, the nutrients in açaí berries may support heart and brain health.
Another beverage by Sambazon you may find in stores is dragon fruit juice, which only contains 7 grams of sugar. According to one reviewer at Target, "This juice tastes delicious and is good for you!" But some reviewers had mixed feelings about this beverage, reporting that the ginger flavor was too strong. Someone added, "WAY too much ginger!" Nonetheless, this might not be bad if you're a fan of ginger. Per the Cleveland Clinic, dragon fruit contains fiber that helps maintain a healthy digestive system.
8. Suja
Suja offers customers a blend of cold-pressed organic fruits and vegetables from local farms in California. Some examples of Suja cold pressed juice flavors are Mighty Dozen, Uber Greens, Sweet Beets, and Celery Juice. Suja also makes probiotic juices, such as Vibrant Probiotic and Digestion Shot, which contain good bacteria to "support immune and digestive health."
Suja uses a unique technique called high-pressure processing (HPP) to extract juices, which prevents the destruction of valuable nutrients. In addition, HPP keeps the brand's juice tasting fresh. Even the Suja green juices taste good, and a customer who was pleasantly surprised by the Suja Green Delight commented, "I was amazed [by] how good this actually tasted."
It's impressive that Suja beverages are vegan, non-GMO, and certified organic by the USDA. Therefore, it's good that Suja Juices aren't hard to find because one reviewer added, "Just found out these gems at my local store, they are super good."
9. Evolution Fresh
Evolution Fresh states that the refreshing taste of its juice drinks comes from swapping the heat pasteurization process for cold pressing. It adds that it gets most of its fruits and vegetables from local farms in Southern California.
Since the company started in 1995, Evolution fresh claims to have mastered the art of creating delicious juice blends. The company combines multiple fruits and vegetables to create exciting flavors like the Organic Citrus Ginger Zest, Essential Greens, Organic Raspberry Renewal, Organic Tropical Passion, Organic Defense Up, and Carrot Citrus Radiance. One of the popular juice blends from Evolution Fresh is Organic Defense Up, a combination of orange and other fruits. In the words of one reviewer on Influenster, "I have officially found the most perfect juice on earth!"
Evolution Fresh also offers single-fruit juices to customers looking for simple flavors such as organic apple, pure orange, and pure organic orange. These juices are also popular, and an Amazon review for Evolution Fresh pure organic orange said, "I've had different orange juice but this one was pretty sweet and flavorful; basically this one stood out from other brands I've tried."
10. Natalie's Orchid Island Juice
Natalie's Orchid Island Juice Company is a Florida-based, women-owned juice business that was started in 1989 by Marygrace Sexton. More than 30 years later, the company still produces minimally-processed, fresh juices.
To ensure the company has fresh juice all year-round, Natalie's Juice stores freshly-harvested citrus fruits when in season for later months when they're no longer in season. The brand selects the finest fruits and vegetables from the farms. From Monday to Friday each week, the juicery produces small quantities of fresh juice.
After extraction, the juices are pasteurized at the lowest temperature allowed and for the shortest time. This process is known as gourmet pasteurization, which contributes to keeping Natalie's Juices flavorful. And if you're wondering what they taste like, a reviewer on Influenster describes them as, "Truly off the charts yummy on its own."
All of Natalie's juices are gluten-free, vegan, and clean label. This means there are no hidden ingredients like flavors, colors, preservatives, or water; it's only plain fruit and vegetable juice. Some of the juice flavors stocked by Natalie's Juices include orange, tangerine, blood orange, and grapefruit. The brand also offers fruit mixes, such as orange mango and orange pineapple juices.
11. Sunsweet
Sunsweet is a juice brand that produces prune and plum juice, with and without pulp. The company has been operational since 1917, and with this many years of experience, it assures customers that it has "pretty much perfected the prune."
Prunes are fiber-rich fruits used commonly as a home remedy for stomach problems. Each bottle of Sunsweet Amaz!n prune juice provides 4 grams of fiber, meeting 16% of your daily needs. Sunsweet also makes prune juice with pulp for consumers seeking more fiber, with each bottle containing 5 grams. Other essential nutrients in the brand's prune juice are calcium, iron, B vitamins, and potassium.
Prunes offer other health benefits, such as strengthening bones, promoting proper food digestion, and protecting the heart. Healthline adds that they may encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut and manage cholesterol levels. Not only is this juice healthy, but it's also tasty. One reviewer on Influenster said, "Sunsweet Amaz!N is the BEST prune juice. Reasonable price, great taste, and produces results gently."
12. O2 Living
Another women-owned juice company to watch out for in stores is O2 Living. After her son had a close shave with death, Rosemary Devlin began the journey to healthier living. Her journey involved opening a yoga studio in 2009 and the O2 living juicery in 2014.
O2 Living juices mix fruits and vegetables to create flavors like Green Vitality, Fresh Start, Pineapple Punch, Carrot Kick, and Red Radiance. The production process begins on the farm by choosing high-quality organic fruits and vegetables. The juices are then extracted via cold pressing to preserve the nutrients and enzymes. According to the brand, cold-pressed juice "typically contains less sugar and fewer calories than traditional juice." All of the brand's juices contain fresh juice and nothing else — not even water or sweeteners. And regarding its taste, one reviewer on Amazon said, "I've tried several juices, but nothing can ever top this one."
13. Naked Juice
Naked Juice is a brand under Tropicana Brands Group, a parent company that oversees other juice companies. Naked Juice makes fruit and vegetable blends in flavors such as Orange Carrot Mango, Green Machine, Red Machine, Tropical Guava, Strawberry Banana, and Rainbow Machine. The brand also offers non-GMO and gluten-free options. Some Naked Juice drinks, such as Green Machine and Rainbow Machine, are fortified with added vitamins.
With several varieties of Naked Juice drinks available, it's hard to pick just one, so the brand's website has an easy way to help customers find flavors that suit their palate. Once you select your favorite fruits, the website brings up a list of beverages you might like. Even without added sugars, the juices get consumer approval, with one customer on Influenster commenting, "Tastes so so so good. One of my favorite drinks ever." Many other reviewers have positive feedback, and another person declared the Naked Juice carrot juice as their go-to beverage.
Naked Juice is as committed to protecting the environment as it is to making delicious beverages. It uses 100% recycled packaging to reduce plastic waste, and also helps save the forest and support rural communities by only using bananas and pineapples from farms approved by the Rainforest Alliance.