100 Percent Fruit Juice Benefits

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines these terms, and the definitions can be lengthy. However, as a general rule: “100% Juice” is either squeezed directly from the fruit or made from concentrated juice that is reconstituted with water. Welch’s 100% Juices never contain any added sweeteners. “Juice Cocktails” and “Juice Drinks” are formulated with less than 100% juice and, in most cases, contain added sweeteners as well. Note: You can find the juice content of all Welch’s Juice Beverages above the Nutrition Facts panel of the product label, shown as a percentage.

New research indicates that drinking 100 percent fruit juices does in fact have protective health benefits similar to eating whole fruits.

The literature review summarizes recent studies on the potential benefits of fruit juice and has found a positive association between drinking 100 percent juice and reduced risk for several chronic diseases, including cancer, markers for cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.

Among the fruit juices included in the review, consumption of apple, citrus, cranberry, grape, and pomegranate juices all showed beneficial effects. Markers of improved health ranged from reductions in urinary tract infections (cranberry) to improvements in age-related cognitive decline (grape and apple) to reduced risk of prostate (pomegranate) and respiratory and digestive (orange, grapefruit) cancers. Additionally, intake of all juices was linked to heightened antioxidant activity.