When shopping for fruit juice, you may encounter a wide variety of options. Should you pick up juice that is “not from concentrate,” a frozen container of concentrate that you mix up yourself, or a carton of juice made from concentrate?
There are a few differences between the three options. But when comparing real juice vs. concentrate, it’s important to know that juice made from concentrate can still be 100% fruit juice. “From concentrate” refers primarily to how the juice was processed before it reached the store.
Your final decision may depend on nutrition, taste, price, convenience and your personal preferences.
Real Juice vs. Concentrate: What Do the Labels Mean?
One of the most confusing things about comparing real juice vs. concentrate is the terminology.
“Not from concentrate” generally means that after the juice is extracted from the fruit, it is processed and packaged without first having much of its water removed to create a concentrated product.
Juice “from concentrate” has gone through an additional step in which water is removed. The concentrated juice can then be transported or stored before water is added back to bring it to approximately its original strength.
That doesn’t necessarily mean one is “real” juice, and the other isn’t.
In the United States, beverages containing juice must disclose their percentage of juice, and products made from concentrate are generally identified as “from concentrate” or “reconstituted.” A beverage that is less than 100% juice may instead be described as a juice drink, beverage or cocktail.
If you’re looking for fruit juice rather than a juice-flavored beverage, “100% juice” is therefore one of the most useful things to look for on the label.
How Is Juice Concentrate Made?
When you squeeze a fruit, such as an orange or a lemon, you release its juice. Juice sold at the grocery store is essentially the result of doing the same thing on a much larger scale using commercial processing equipment.
To make juice concentrate, much of the water is removed from the juice.
One common commercial process involves heating the juice and evaporation. Removing water leaves behind a concentrated fruit liquid that takes up considerably less space than the original juice. Some concentrates are then frozen, while others are stored or transported in different forms depending on how they will ultimately be used.
When manufacturers want to turn that concentrate back into drinkable juice, water is added again.
Is Juice From Concentrate Still Real Juice?
Yes — it can be.
A carton labeled “100% apple juice from concentrate,” for example, is still 100% juice even though the apple juice was concentrated and later reconstituted with water.
This is different from a product labeled “apple juice drink,” “apple beverage” or “fruit cocktail,” which may contain less than 100% juice along with other ingredients.
That’s an important distinction when comparing real juice vs. concentrate. Rather than assuming that “from concentrate” means artificial or fake, check the percentage of juice and ingredient list.
Are There Nutritional Differences?
Some people may be concerned that concentrate does not have the same nutritional value as juice.
There can be nutritional differences between individual products, but whether a juice is made from concentrate isn’t the only factor that determines its nutrition.
The variety of fruit, processing method, storage time, fortification and added ingredients can all affect what’s ultimately in the carton.
Vitamin C, for example, can be affected by heat and storage. On the other hand, some commercial juices have vitamin C added back to the product, meaning a particular juice made from concentrate could actually contain more vitamin C than another juice that isn’t from concentrate.
Rather than assuming one type is always more nutritious, compare the Nutrition Facts panels of the actual products you’re considering.
What About Sugar in Juice From Concentrate?
Another misconception is that “from concentrate” automatically means that sugar has been added.
It doesn’t.
Fruit naturally contains sugar, and that sugar remains when the fruit is made into juice. A properly reconstituted 100% fruit juice can therefore contain plenty of naturally occurring sugar without having added sugar.
However, concentrated fruit juice can also be used as a sweetening ingredient in other foods and beverages. Under current FDA labeling rules, concentrated fruit or vegetable juice used in excess of what would normally occur in an equivalent amount of 100% juice may count toward “Added Sugars.”
Again, the label is your friend. Look at both Total Sugars and Added Sugars, as well as the percentage of juice.
Price Differences Between Real Juice and Concentrate
Another deciding factor between juice and concentrate may be the price.
Historically, it has often been cheaper to purchase a frozen container of concentrate and prepare the juice at home. Bottled or carton juices prepared from concentrate may also cost less than some premium not-from-concentrate juices.
Because most of the water has been removed, concentrate takes up less space during some stages of storage and transportation.
However, prices vary significantly by brand, fruit, package size and store, so there is no guarantee that concentrate will always be the least expensive option.
If price is your biggest consideration, compare the cost per ounce or serving rather than simply looking at the sticker price.
Which Type of Juice Is Better for the Environment?
The environmental comparison isn’t quite as straightforward as it may appear.
Concentrating juice requires additional processing and energy because water has to be removed. Frozen concentrates also require refrigeration or freezing during storage.
On the other hand, removing water dramatically reduces the weight and volume of the product that has to be transported. Shipping concentrated juice can therefore require less transportation capacity than moving the equivalent amount of full-strength juice.
Packaging, refrigeration, processing methods, shipping distance and food waste can all affect the environmental footprint.
For that reason, it is difficult to say that either concentrate or not-from-concentrate juice is always the more environmentally friendly choice.
Does Juice From Concentrate Taste Different?
Juice made from concentrate may have a slightly different taste than not-from-concentrate juice because it goes through different processing and storage steps.
Some people prefer the taste of not-from-concentrate juice, while others may prefer juice made from concentrate.
Taste also varies substantially from brand to brand, so “from concentrate” isn’t necessarily a reliable predictor of whether you’ll like a particular juice.
Some people may prefer to buy frozen concentrate because they can prepare the juice themselves and adjust it somewhat to their liking, producing either a stronger flavor or a more diluted one.
Real Juice vs. Concentrate: Which Should You Choose?
Ultimately, when comparing real juice vs. concentrate, neither label tells you everything you need to know.
If both products are labeled 100% juice, both can be real fruit juice. The primary difference is that juice from concentrate has had water removed and later added back, while not-from-concentrate juice skips that concentration step.
Instead of choosing based on the words “from concentrate” alone, look at:
- The percentage of actual fruit juice
- The ingredient list
- Added sugars
- Calories and nutrients
- Price per serving
- Taste and convenience
If you prefer the flavor of not-from-concentrate juice and don’t mind paying more for it, that may be the best choice for your family. If you prefer the convenience or price of juice from concentrate, a 100% juice from concentrate product can also be a perfectly reasonable option.
The biggest lesson in the real juice vs. concentrate debate? Read the entire label rather than judging a juice by those three words alone.
