Cranberry juice is one of the most popular juices in the world. People drink it in the morning and mix it into mocktails at night. It is also a delicious addition to smoothies and milkshakes. Not only does cranberry juice taste great anytime of day, but it is also a beautiful juice. The bright red color is irresistible!
That is, unless you are drinking white cranberry juice…did you know there was a white cranberry juice? There are actually many types of cranberry juices! We must know more.
We are going to take a deep look at cranberry juice, exploring every aspect of the juice. So go pour yourself a big glass of cranberry juice and let’s start learning!
How is Cranberry Juice Made?
Cranberry juice starts with the cranberry, a small red fruit that grows on an evergreen shrub. Cranberries need to grow in acidic soil with a big supply of fresh water. The berries grow from April through November.
Once the cranberries are ripe, the land where the berries grow is flooded. The berries dislodge from the bush and float to the top of the water. The berries can then be easily collected and used as fresh berries or to make cranberry juice.
Cranberries that are turned into juice are pressed to extract as much liquid as possible. The berries are crushed, macerated, heated and the juice is pressed then collected. Most cranberry juice is commercially sterilized so it can be safely bottled or canned.
Lots of cranberry juice has sugar or water added to the juice. Other fruit juices may be blended in as well. Apple juice is often mixed with cranberry juice as a way to make the tart red juice a little sweeter. We love white cranberry strawberry juice too. Cranberries mix so well with other sweet fruits.
Health Benefits of Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice has a lot of benefits. This is especially true if you use pure cranberry juice or unsweetened cranberry juice which is more concentrated. Take a look at a few of the health benefits of cranberry juice. These are sure to make you want a big glass of juice even more!
- Improved Heart Health- Cranberry juice has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease.
- Prevent Cavities- Cranberries contain a compound called proanthocyanidin which has been shown to prevent bacteria from clinging to teeth, therefore preventing cavities.
- Digestive Health- Cranberries are full of beneficial fiber which can help maintain a healthy digestive system.
- Skin Benefits- Cranberries can protect against free radicals in the skin, making skin appear younger.
- Help with Weight Loss- Cranberries have less sugar than other fruits. Drinking a no sugar cranberry juice in place of other high sugar juices or sodas will help you shed some pounds.
- Bladder Health- The proanthocyanidins in cranberries prevent bacteria from building up in the bladder. It flushes bacteria out through urine. Cranberry juice also makes your urine more acidic and will prevent bacteria from thriving. Cranberry juice has long been known to help prevent urinary tract infections.
- Cure Yeast Infections- Cranberry juice is known to help prevent and cure yeast infections. The highly acidic juice flushes out yeast bacteria and prevents it from growing or spreading.
Cranberries and cranberry juice seems to be pretty darn amazing. Look at all those benefits! It is hard to believe that a tiny red berry can hold so much power.
Flavor of Cranberry Juice
Is cranberry juice acidic? Yes.
Is cranberry juice tart? Yes.
Is cranberry juice sweet? Yes. All of these things are true all at the same time. That is what makes cranberry juice so incredible! Cranberries are naturally tart and sour. They are acidic while also having a subtle sweetness. Unsweetened cranberry juice will be much more acidic than cranberry juice cocktail.
Now that we are talking about different types of cranberry juice, let’s start going down that road!
Types of Cranberry Juice
There are many types of cranberry juice on the market. Which one should you choose?! Here is a little info about the best cranberry juice types on the market today.
Cranberry Juice Cocktail- Cranberry juice cocktail is the most common type of cranberry juice in the grocery store. Cranberry juice cocktail has sugar, high fructose corn syrup, water and sometimes other fruit juices added to the mix.
Unsweetened Cranberry Juice- Unsweetened, pure cranberry juice is made solely from cranberries. There are no additional sugars added to the juice and no other fruit juices. Pure cranberry juice has the most health benefits of all the different types of Cranberry juice. No sugar, no fats, no extra calories- it is pure goodness!
Sugar Free Cranberry Juice- Sugar free cranberry juice usually has no calorie or no calorie sweeteners added to the juice. While they contain no real sugar or carbs, they are sweetened in other ways. The juice will still be sweet but lower in calories and carbs than classic, sweetened cranberry juice cocktail. Diet cranberry juice can be perfect for mocktails, letting you indulge in a tasty drink without the caloric repercussions.
White Cranberry Juice- White cranberry juice is made from white cranberries that grow on the bottom of the cranberry bush. White cranberries are simply berries that did not receive much sunlight. They are still ripe and sweet, just white in color.
Organic Cranberry Juice- Organic cranberry juice is made with non-GMO, USDA certified organic berries. The berries are grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Many people find this very desirable.
In addition to regular cranberry juice, you can find lots of cranberry juice mixes. White cranberry strawberry juice and cranberry pineapple juice are two of the most popular flavors. Y\ou can also make your own cranberry juice at home. The best cranberry juice may just be the homemade kind!
Consider the type of cranberry juice you want and then head to your local store to find it. Whether you are searching for jugo de arandano (that’s cranberry juice in spanish) or the elusive white cranberry juice, you are sure to end up with a very tasty, healthy drink. Cranberry juice really is the best!
So grab a bottle of the best cranberry juice you can find and then give a few of our cranberry mocktail recipes a try. Let us know which is your favorite!
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