Juice seems like a healthy option, but if you read the back of the label, you’ll quickly find not all bottles are as wholesome as they appear. Many popular brands are packed with sugar, questionable additives and worrisome ingredients. “When it comes to fruit juice, less is more,” says Terry Tateossian, an ISSA Nutritionist and ISSA Personal Trainer, IIN Hormone Specialist, IIN Emotional Eating Coach, and the Founder of THOR: The House of Rose. She explains, “Even natural sugars can contribute to insulin resistance, weight gain, and mood crashes when consumed without balancing nutrients. If you’re going to have juice, stick to 4 oz or less and pair it with a high-protein breakfast or fiber-rich snack.” Instead of reaching for an unhealthy juice, Tateossian suggests adding fruit slices to your water or making a smoothie with fiber and protein to keep your blood sugar stable. “Many store-bought juices are loaded with added sugars, concentrated fruit syrups, or high-fructose ingredients that can spike blood sugar, sabotage gut health, and lead to energy crashes, not to mention increase the risk of insulin resistance over time,” she explains. To help navigate your way through the juice aisle and make informed choices, here are 7 fruit juices with ingredients to avoid, according to Tateossian.
Welch’s Passion Fruit Juice Drink
Nutrition: per serving 8 oz fld
Calories: 140
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 10mg
Carbs: 36g (Fiber: g , Sugar: 34g)
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Filtered Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Grape Juice From Concentrate (Filtered Water, Grape Juice Concentrate), Sugar, Apple Juice From Concentrate (Filtered Water, Apple Juice Concentrate), Passion Fruit Juice From Concentrate (Filtered Water, Passion Fruit Juice Concentrate), Citric Acid (For Tartness), Pectin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural Flavor, Beta Carotene (For Color). Welch’s Passion Fruit Juice Drink sounds tropical and refreshing, especially for summer, but it’s a sugar bomb in disguise. “With 34g of total sugar per serving (29g of that added) it’s more like a soft drink than a wellness beverage,” says Tateossian. “The first ingredient? Filtered water. The second? High fructose corn syrup. That combo alone should be a red flag if you’re watching your metabolic health.”
Boathouse Farms Strawberry Banana 100% Fruit Juice Smoothie Fresh
Nutrition: per serving 15.2 fl
Calories: 260
Fat: .5g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 20mg
Carbs: 61g (Fiber: 5g , Sugar: 50g)
Protein: 1g
Ingredients: Strawberry Puree, Banana Puree, Pear Juice from Concentrate (Water, Pear Juice Concentrate), Apple Juice from Concentrate (Water, Apple Juice Concentrate), Apple Puree from Concentrate (Water, Apple Puree Concentrate), Contains 2% Less: Pectin, Natural Flavors, Vegetable Juice for Color, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid). Bolthouse Farms Strawberry Banana 100% Fruit Juice Smoothie Fresh doesn’t have added sugar, but so much natural sugar that Tateossian advises skipping it.
“This bottle still packs in 50g of natural sugar, which hits your system fast with no fiber or protein to buffer it,” she says. “The fruit is mostly from concentrate and purees, which act similarly to sugar in your bloodstream. Plus, it’s 260 calories in a single drink, more than many people realize they’re drinking and more than you should ever have in a beverage, even if it might market itself as a meal in a cup.”
AriZona Juice Cocktail Fruit Punch All Natural
Nutrition: per serving 8 oz fl
Calories: 90
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 0mg
Carbs: 22g (Fiber: g , Sugar: 21g)
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Pear Juice From Concentrate, Sugar, Mango Puree, Apple Juice From Concentrate, Citric Acid, Pineapple Juice From Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Vegetable Juice For Color, Strawberry Juice From Concentrate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Cherry Juice From Concentrate, Gum Acacia, Ester Gum.
AriZona Juice Cocktail Fruit Punch All Natural might earn high praises from customers, per their website, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you. “Don’t let the fruit punch label fool you, this contains only 10% juice and a whopping 44g of sugar per bottle, including 39g of added sugar,” says Tateossian. “That’s nearly double the American Heart Association’s daily limit for women. When sugar is one of the top ingredients and there’s zero fiber or protein to slow absorption, you’re setting your body up for a blood sugar rollercoaster.”
Tropicana Light Some Pulp 100% Orange Juice
Nutrition: per serving 8 fl oz
Calories: 50
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: g)
Sodium: 5mg
Carbs: 11g (Fiber: g , Sugar: 10g)
Protein: <1g
Ingredients: Filtered water, not from concentrate pasteurized orange juice, orange juice concentrate, potassium citrate, citric acid, natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), purified stevia leaf extract, gellan gum and beta-carotene (color).
Tropicana is a trusted brand, but the Tropicana Light Some Pulp 100% Orange Juice doesn’t have a lot of nutritional benefits, per Tateossian. She explains, “At first glance, this one looks like a better pick, with just 50 calories and 10g of sugar per serving. But it’s still a processed juice blend with negligible protein, fat, or fiber, and it lacks real satiety.” Tateossian adds, “It’s also packed with chemicals and natural flavors, which, as mentioned, means highly processed ingredients stripped of nutritional value. While not the worst on this list, it’s not as healthy as it markets itself to be.”
Tropicana Refreshers Fruit Punch Juice Drink
Nutrition: per serving 8 fl oz
Calories: 90
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: g)
Sodium: 20 mg
Carbs: 22g (Fiber: g , Sugar: 22g)
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Filtered water, sugar, apple puree, apple juice concentrate, cherry juice concentrate, citric acid, pineapple juice concentrate, orange juice concentrate, natural flavors, fruit and vegetable juice concentrate for color, ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Tropicana Refreshers Fruit Punch Juice Drink is delicious, but has too much sugar, according to Tateossian. “This is another fruit punch offender,” she says. “With 22g of sugar per 8oz serving, including 19g added sugar, this is again closer to a soda than a juice. It’s also filled with fruit and vegetable juice concentrates and natural flavors, which often signal chemicals and overly processed ingredients stripped of real nutritional value.”
Mott’s 100% Apple Juice Original
Nutrition: per serving 240.0 mL
Calories: 120
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: g)
Sodium: 30mg
Carbs: 29g (Fiber: g , Sugar: 28g)
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Water, Apple Juice Concentrate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Mott’s 100% Apple Juice Original is all juice with limited ingredients, but again, juice without fiber is just concentrated sugar, Tateossian says. “With 28g of sugar per 8oz serving and no benefits like protein or fat to slow absorption, this hits your bloodstream fast,” she explains. “Even if there’s no added sugar, it’s a large glycemic load in one sip that will leave you with a major crash afterwards.”
Welch’s Concord Grape 100% Juice
Nutrition: per serving 8 fl oz
Calories: 140
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: g)
Sodium: 10 mg
Carbs: 37g (Fiber: g , Sugar: 35g)
Protein: 1g
Ingredients: Grape Juice From Concentrate (Filtered Water, Grape Juice Concentrate), Grape Juice, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Citric Acid (For Tartness)
Welch’s Concord Grape 100% Juice is what it says–all juice, but don’t be misled. 100% doesn’t mean balanced. This one contains 35g of sugar per serving, which can spike your blood sugar and leave you hungry shortly after. It also lacks any fiber, fat, or protein, making it more of a fast-carb hit than a functional health drink.
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