Please be advised, there is a new hidden danger present in our favorite bottled juices. Before we discuss this new danger, let’s talk about the “not so new” ones. First off, we drink juice or should drink juice, primarily because it's healthy and yes, taste good. But when we consider the process in which bottled juices go through, is it really healthy? So the first reason why these juices aren't healthy is because they are pasteurized. Yes, pasteurized. We all see this marked on most of our food products but what does it mean?
Pasteurization is a process of heating a food, usually liquid, to a specific temperature for a definite length of time, and then cooling it immediately. This process slows microbial growth in food. It is also known to prevent spoilage and fermentation.
Now this can be debatable because the USDA and many others will argue that bottled juices are healthy because they ARE pasteurized. However, thought this may be true, because pasteurization does slows down and eliminates bacteria growth in the juice, which prevents you from getting sick. This process also slows down AND eliminates nutrients in the juice, which prevents you from getting sick. A little confusing at first glance, right?
I can't dispute the fact that this process is present in our beverage distribution and manufacturing process for our safety. But at that very same time this heating process eliminates all of the good/healthy things in the juice - valuable nutrients, vitamins, and enzymes. Tropicana developed Flash pasteurization which as a method which isn’t as harmful as pasteurization. In this process the liquid moves in a controlled, continuous flow while held at temperatures of 71.5 °C (160 °F) to 74 °C (165 °F), for roughly 15 to 30 seconds. Better? Yes, but unfortunately your end result still isn’t a raw food.
Now, second reason, the juice is old and probably not organic. Old food lacks essential vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes and much more. Vitamins and digestive enzymes are time, light, and heat sensitive. Non-organic foods contain harmful chemicals such as fungicides, pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers and much more. Also, adding to that, “100% juice”-or not, even if it's organic, if it's bottled, it still isn’t good.
Now let's talk about orange juice. The government allows food companies to add
ingredients to their products without mentioning them on their labels. One newly discovered mystery ingredient added to most orange juices companies which we love called "Flavor Packs" is a chemical used to enhance whatever is left of that dead, watered-down, pasteurized, flavorless liquid. Most if not ALL of your familiar orange juice brands are custom to this. In their partial defense, they have to do it or else they wouldn't be in business. Pasteurizing prolongs shelf life and the chemical additives gives it the flavor of the fruit juice it is advertising. However, I eagerly condemn it!
This article also mentions that most of these companies sit their juice in tanks for up to a year before they are fully processed. Disgusting! I mean if it’s not fresh (days old), the most I would expect is juice that is weeks old. So despite most of these companies "100% juice" and "all- natural" claims, most of what they are doing to juice and putting in it deems it harmful and unhealthy.
My advice to those people that want to drink some good, healthy orange juice is to buy a bag of oranges, and a citrus juicer and make your own juice!
It is a little more expensive, but it is well worth it in the long run, in regards to your health.
It is THE healthy alternative, not to mention it is safe, unpasteurized, "flavor pack"-free and delicious!
http://updatednews.ca/2011/12/17/orange … nded-moms/
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