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Title: Which Has More Sugar – Tropicana’s Farmstand Juice or Coke?
Source:
Fooducate
URL Source: http://blog.fooducate.com/2013/09/1 ... canas-farmstand-juice-or-coke/
Published: Sep 16, 2013
Author: Fooducate
Post Date: 2016-04-10 15:11:24 by U don't know me
Keywords: None
Views: 1377
Comments: 8
Which Has More Sugar – Tropicana’s Farmstand Juice or Coke? Tropicana’s new line of drinks, Farmstand, is designed to conjure thoughts of health in a consumer’s mind. The name evokes the mental image of a farmer bringing in her fresh vegetables and fruits to market. Each bottle includes pictures of beautiful produce that almost screams that it contains vitamins and minerals. But just how healthy are these drinks? We decided to take a look at one of the products: Tropicana Farmstand Pomegranate Blueberry. What you need to know: The drink comes in a 12-ounce bottle. Readers may recall that that the FDA has defined a serving size for juice (or cola, or seltzer, for that matter) as 8 ounces (1 cup). However, marketers have deemed that quantity too small for a package, and thus 12 ounces is the industry standard. The front of package boasts 180 calories. It doesn’t tell you that 148 of them (82 percent) are from sugars! That’s 9 teaspoons. Now, it’s true that the ingredients are all natural (see below). However, juicing drains them of all their fiber. This product is not a significant source of fiber, but had you eaten all the vegetables and fruits that go into the bottle, you would have consumed 3-5 grams of fiber. You would have also consumed plenty of naturally occurring vitamin C and vitamin A. Sadly, they are lost in processing. Synthetic versions are later added, as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and beta-carotene. Let’s take a look at the ingredient list: Reconstituted clarified sweet potato juice, grape juice, apple juice, carrot juice, red beet juice, blueberry juice and pomegranate juice (filtered water, grape juice, clarified sweet potato juice, apple juice, carrot juice, red beet juice, pomegranate juice and blueberry juice concentrates), natural flavors, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and beta-carotene. The first ingredient is interesting – Reconstituted clarified sweet potato juice. A very-healthy-for-you sweet potato is juiced. It is then clarified, which means it is strained and all the fiber nutrient goodness is discarded. It is then reconstituted, which means water is added. Why would water be added? Perhaps it follows Tropicana’s orange juice playbook: the sweet potato juice is concentrated by removing water, and then chills in a huge vat for a few months, before being reconstituted and bottled. There are 4 more juices listed before we reach the ones named in the product (blueberry and pomegranate). You can imagine that there is a very small amount of these relatively expensive fruit juices in your bottle. When you buy this product, you get mostly sweet potato, apple, and grape juice (very cheap). That’s why you’ll see natural flavors added to the ingredient list. They add the (lab made) blueberry and pomegranate flavors you expect when you take your first sip. Bottom line: This is not a healthy beverage. Veggies and fruits are great – eat them, don’t gulp them down as a drink. You’ll get far more nutrients and feel much fuller with 180 calories of produce eaten vs. drunk. Oh, and regarding the comparison to Coke. A 12-ounce can of Coke has half a teaspoon more of sugar compared to Tropicana Farmstand. So yes, the juice is less unhealthy. But that does not make it healthy…
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#1. To: U don't know me (#0)
(Edited)
And you won't get those blood sugar spikes from ingesting so much raw sugar at once. I've read that that kind of thing has contributed to the rise of diabetic America. And if you're blasting your body with sugar in fruit juice every afternoon after school or at a work break, it becomes a Thing, a factor in your health. It's much better for your teeth to avoid those between-meal sweets too.
Juice concentrates are LOADED with corn syrup. The best thing to do is never get hooked on sweets. My grandma would sit at the breakfast table and eat a grapefruit for breakfast, of course cut in half. She never used sweetener on it, so I picked up the same habit. It is good in its own way. Of course the best way to eat fruit, is pretty much not at all. It really is not good for you in large doses. You have to think of it as dessert. There are several that are a good mix of nutrition and fiber like apples, or pears. Tomatoes are also okay, but peaches, berries or watermelon, not so much. Everyone is aware that the "4 food groups" we were taught to eat from in the "pyramid" was an advertising piece put out by Edward Bernays. Right along with 7 of 10 doctors smoke Pall Malls.
Don't get me started on HFCS... : ) These products are in a competition for the title of the World Champion Diabetes Inducers. You really shouldn't get that many calories of cheap sugar at once. A little sweet in a very limited quantity isn't too bad. But so many things offer us massive doses of sugar, in such quantity that their effect is almost classifiable as a drug. Not like alcohol in its effects but not non-existent either. I have tried a few of those flavored one-calorie sparkling water things. They're not too bad, especially compared to fruit juices and sodas (which have just as much sugar and usually a dose of caffeine). And the really sweet stuff does do a poor job at providing easy hydration and satisfying thirst in hot weather.
Surprisingly, the stuff they sell at WalMart for 99 cents per liter bottle, "Clear American" is actually pretty good. Ingredients: Filtered Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Aspartame, Potassium Benzoate (A Preservative), Acesulfame Potassium (Aspartame). Contains Phenylalanine. I hate to admit it, but I'm kind of hooked on energy drinks, always have one to start the day instead of coffee. Caffeine alone just doesn't do the trick at 0400. Snake Eyes is my drug of choice. In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much Well, try to eat something more solid with it.
OK mom, thanks. Actually I usually grab an apple or banana and eat it on the way in to work. If I have time, I'll whip up some instant oatmeal. In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much If I have time, I'll whip up some instant oatmeal. It does alleviate other minor dietary sins if you take a little solid conventional food. You'll feel better and be healthier over the long run.
I would never knowingly use anything with Aspartame in it.
Bottom line: This is not a healthy beverage. Veggies and fruits are great – eat them, don’t gulp them down as a drink. You’ll get far more nutrients and feel much fuller with 180 calories of produce eaten vs. drunk.
#2. To: TooConservative (#1)
#3. To: jeremiad (#2)
Juice concentrates are LOADED with corn syrup.
#4. To: TooConservative, jeremiad (#3)
I have tried a few of those flavored one-calorie sparkling water things.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#5. To: Deckard (#4)
Caffeine alone just doesn't do the trick at 0400.
#6. To: TooConservative (#5)
Well, try to eat something more solid with it.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#7. To: Deckard (#6)
Actually I usually grab an apple or banana and eat it on the way in to work.
#8. To: Deckard (#4)
Aspartame,
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