Health & Nutrition

As with whole fruit and vegetables, packaged juice is an important source of vitamins and minerals for the overall diet. 

In the EURODIET study carried out at the request of the European Commission and which served as the basis for the development of the EU guidelines for healthy diets and lifestyles, the following recommendation was made: 

“…fruit and vegetable consumption should be increased to at least 400g/day on a population basis. ‘Fruit and vegetables’ is loosely defined as excluding potatoes and equivalent starchy roots but including a portion of fruit juice.” (Source: “Public Health Nutrition”, EURODIET Reports and Proceedings, Volume 4, 2001). 

However, despite an overwhelming endorsement that fruit juice, directly derived from fruit, contributes to a healthy diet, some questions have been raised regarding juice acidity and sugar content in the context of dental health and obesity. 

With a well balanced diet alongside good oral hygiene, younger consumers through to the elderly can enjoy juice without any undue risk to their dental health. Also, for most people fruit juice consumption contributes only a very small percentage of total energy intake. It is misleading to suggest that it plays a contributory role in obesity and diabetes. 

Worldwide, there is an increasing consumer interest in naturalness and wellbeing. Fruit juices naturally contain exceptional levels of positive nutrients. Convenient, nutritious and enjoyable, with a loyal consumer base, they can provide nutrient density in a world that needs balanced nourishment.