Today's Tip: Juice...from the fruit or from the bottle?

So you are thirsty and craving something fruity to sip so you grab the apple or orange juice bottle from the fridge, right?  Well, let's talk about this...fruit juice can be a little bit of a food faker. Most fruit juices -- including no-sugar-added juices -- have as many calories as regular soda (around 100 per cup and a PointsPlus® value of 3). You're much better off having an actual apple or orange than a cup of the fruit juice, and the fruits themselves are way more filling than a cup of the juice. For the same calories as that glass of juice, you could have a large apple or a couple of small oranges. And with the fruit, you'll get around 4g fiber - juice generally has no fiber. And for those of you who are on Weight Watchers, fruit (unlike fruit juice) has a PointsPlus® value of 0*.

But if you really need a fruit juice fix, look for reduced-calorie juice products. I like the Trop50 juice drinks, which are naturally sweetened with stevia and have half the sugar and calories of the regular stuff. These are great options for your kids, too. A cup has 35 - 50 calories and 8 - 12g sugars (PointsPlus® value 1 - 2*). There are classic flavors like Farmstand Apple, plus creative ones like Pineapple Mango (my kids' favorite!).  These are also GREAT in smoothies - 4oz. Trop50 juice, 4-6oz. plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, frozen fruit, 1/2 - 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, & ice or water to desired consistency (add Truvia sweetener if using plain yogurt for flavor).  A great breakfast on the go & a good alternative to breakfast cereal for the kids.

Try this refreshing beverage...it's John's favorite:

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 spoonful of Truvia
12 oz water
ice
1/4 cup Trop50 Pinapple Mango (or other flavor)

Mix all in a large cup.  Add additional Truvia, if needed to sweeten. (Adjust amounts to cup size.)