Last week, we shared some healthier choices for when you find yourself reaching for something to drink. Avoid soda, of course, and try to pick one of our healthier suggestions that post: water, green tea, or almond milk. In the process of writing that blog post, we realized toward the end that we had forgotten all about juice. It's a product that comes in a lot of variations, with different health benefits for each version. For this week's post, we're going to take a look at a few important points to consider for your next juice purchase.
Juice in the Drink Aisle
To be clear here, we're not recommending all juices. You have to know what you're looking for when it comes to juice or you might be buying mostly sugary water. If you buy pasteurized juice—the stuff in the middle of the grocery store kept at room temperature in plastic bottles—make sure you're buying only 100% juice. Too many companies try to be slick and sell juice that is mostly sugar and water. Read the labels. Avoid additives.
Natural Fruit Juice
The best kind of juice you can buy is the kind you make at home with a juicer. Pasteurization kills a lot of important enzymes found in raw fruits and vegetables and can degrade the nutritional value as the juice is processed. If you're looking for a way to boost your health all around, give it a try. There is lots of information and recipes for this kind of juice just a click or two away on the Internet. If time doesn't allow for you to make your own, there are also healthier, closer-to-raw juice options probably somewhere near the produce section at your local supermarket.
Why Juice is Good for Your Oral Health
Juice is healthy for your teeth for a variety of reasons. It has nutrients that help your body absorb calcium, contains a ton of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy teeth and bones, and it usually calms the same sweet tooth that might've had you reaching for a soda. It should be noted that juice contains a lot of natural sugars, which means you should brush your teeth more often when you drink a lot of it. Rinse your mouth with water first to remove excess acid before brushing if you're able to do it immediately after drinking juice. Try to avoid especially acidic fruits such as citrus if there is a better option, but even acidic juices will be world's better for your health than a soda.
Thanks for Reading!
If you enjoyed our expose on juicing from a dentist's perspective, please share it with a friend that needs to drink less soda. We can't stress enough how smart it is to start drinking that stuff! If you enjoy our blog, please like or share our Facebook page and help us spread the word!