Tips for moms in preparing the healthiest fruit juice for their children

Fruit juice is a healthy alternative to sodas and other popular carbonated beverages, and children can benefit. Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are more available to the body’s cells when they are in juice form. Juicing is a healthy way to introduce fruits and vegetables that kids would otherwise say no to. There are so many possible combinations of fruits and vegetables. They can be made into tasty beverages that are packed with nutrients. Mixing ingredients is one of the most effective ways to increase the variety of nutrients that children take in.

However, fruits are also high in sugar and calories, and unregulated and indiscriminate intake of fruit juice could have serious health consequences. There are ways to make sure your kids drink healthy fruit juices that don’t put them at risk for childhood obesity and life-threatening diseases like diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Here are guidelines for moms who want to give their children the best possible care.

Say no to sugar overload

However, parents often forget that some of their children’s favorite juice drinks, such as apple juice and orange juice, are also high in sugar. Excessive consumption of fruits that are high in carbohydrates and calories could lead to weight gain in children. In this sense, the best option to take is to go for the berries. The carbohydrate content of berries is primarily in the form of fiber. The sugar content of berries is quite low. Here’s a comparison of the sugar content of berries and other fruits that are typically made into juice drinks.

½ cup of raspberries: 2/7 grams of sugar
½ cup of strawberries: 3/5 grams of sugar
½ cup of blueberries: 7.4 grams of sugar
One piece of banana (medium): 14.4 grams of sugar
One piece of apple (medium): 18.9 grams of sugar
½ mangoes: 23.0 grams of sugar

Say yes to fiber

With the right type of juicer, home made fruit juices will have a higher fiber content. Instead of buying fruit juice at the supermarket, buy fresh fruit in season and process the fruit in a juicer that finely grinds the pulp. Your kids will get as much fiber as they need and you can even combine leafy greens that your kids would normally throw on their plates when served in their usual form. A good juicer will allow you to include nutritious items that are unpopular with children (beets, for example) in their fruit juice and they won’t even have to know it’s there. A juicer that grinds the pulp also saves money, as a large amount of juice is obtained from the part of the fruit that is otherwise wasted when processed in a regular blender.

Fruit juices to try

Here are some of the healthier juices you might want to try to serve your kids for their next snack. Pomegranate juice is one of the most nutritious of the lot due to its antioxidant content, plus essential vitamins and minerals. Be careful not to pour too big a glass and keep it to just one glass a day because pomegranate is high in sugar. The runners-up are red grape juice and cranberry juice.