100% juice vs. "light" juice

I have one bottle of Welch's 100% white grape juice which is 140 calories per 8 oz, 38g carbs, and 36g of sugar (none added, all natural) plus it has potassium and vitamins, etc. I also have a bottle of Welch's light white grape juice, which is 28% real juice, 45 calories per 8 oz., 12g of carb, and 11g of sugar (but added sugars).

So my question is, which is better? I like that the light has lower calories, less carbs and less sugars but it has a higher amount of sodium (which the 100% juice doesn't have at all) and it has added sugars and whatnot. What are your opinions? Any real difference when it comes to weight loss or is it just a matter of preference or if you're keeping track of micros?

Replies

albertabeefy

So my question is, which is better?

Skip juice, eat fruit.

If you're going to drink fruit juice you might as well drink a can of full-sugar Coke. Actually, grape juice has more sugar overall than Coke, per fluid ounce.

Generally-speaking you'd need to eat at-least SIX servings of fruit to get the same sugar amounts as in one glass of juice. But with fruit you'd at-least be getting more nutrients and some healthy fiber.

You'd have to eat OVER 1/2 A POUND of grapes to get the same sugar in your 8oz glass of juice, FYI.

Fruit (if you tolerate it well) is a great part of a healthy diet. Fruit juice not so much.

EchoOfYourPast

You can make your own fruit juice....i just recently bought a juicer and love it!

San

dsalveson

In that situation I would choose the light/diet juice every time. I would hate to waste 140 cal/almost 40 carbs on a few sips of bottled juice, especially since the diet versions are just as good IMO. It's about preference; the added sugars/sodium are irrelevant for weight loss.

_KitKat_

So my question is, which is better?

Skip juice, eat fruit.

If you're going to drink fruit juice you might as well drink a can of full-sugar Coke. Actually, grape juice has more sugar overall than Coke, per fluid ounce.

Generally-speaking you'd need to eat at-least SIX servings of fruit to get the same sugar amounts as in one glass of juice. But with fruit you'd at-least be getting more nutrients and some healthy fiber.

You'd have to eat OVER 1/2 A POUND of grapes to get the same sugar in your 8oz glass of juice, FYI.

Fruit (if you tolerate it well) is a great part of a healthy diet. Fruit juice not so much.

^^^^This ^^^^^ is even what the pediatrician told me when my kids were toddlers, except he said kool-aid instead of coke

glasshalffull713

It's like picking the lesser of two evils. The 100% juice is "better" because it is from real ingredients, instead of the chemical sweeteners and preservatives that are probably in the lite version, but really neither is good! How about some water with lemon? Or homemade iced tea sweetened with some stevia drops (totally natural and calorie free!)? Or some naturally low calorie coconut water?

mRoss27

If youre dieting to lose weight you should eliminate drinking your calories. This is what leads to hunger and cravings. You can drink 300 calories of juice in no more than a few sips and it will do nothing to suppress you appetite. But if you ate 300 calories of whole fruit and oatmeal, for example, you will not only have longer lasting energy but you will be less hungry and more satisfied every time.