Sometimes a simple trip to the grocery store can feel like running a gauntlet through row after row of products that are all trying to convince you of the same thing: that their brand of juice or real smoothie mix are the healthiest fruit drink choice you can make. Although you know they can’t all be the best, like they claim, it can be hard to separate the truth from the advertising. Luckily, there are some things you can keep in mind to make sure that when you’re shopping for a real fruit smoothie mix, that’s exactly what you’ll get.

 

What’s In A Name?

 

Like it or not, we live in a world awash with marketing. Businesses of all stripes spend unimaginable sums of money on advertising and branding firms to let you know they exist. They create a carefully crafted image for themselves, and food and beverage companies are no exception. Everyone wants to make a healthy drink choice when shopping for their family, so companies try anything to convince you that what they’re offering is as close to pure and fresh fruit juice as you could get. However, in most countries there are government restrictions on how much they can play with reality to convince you of that. Have you ever noticed how many fruit beverage labels there are out there that utilize phrases like "made with real fruit” "mango flavored” or "fruit juice drink”? That’s a good indication that it’s time to turn the bottle, jar or can around and take a closer look at the ingredients list. Chances are, what you’ll find could surprise you. Real fruit  Smoothie mix or beverages should be labeled as 100% real fruit smoothie or beverage, with no added sugar.

 

What’s Inside?

 

Any ingredient list is better when it’s short, and this is especially true when you’re looking for pure fruit beverage options. In countries with decent food labeling laws like the United States and Canada, companies are required to list their ingredients on the label. These can’t be listed in any old order, either. The list has to run from the most prevalent ingredient to the least. If you turn a bottle of blended mango smoothie around, and "mangoes” doesn’t appear until number three or four, you know that there’s more of whatever came first (often apple or pear juice and added sugar) inside the bottle than there are mangoes. In a real, healthy fruit beverage, the top ingredient should ideally be the same fruit that’s on the label. If that’s the only thing that shows up in the list, that’s even better. Some companies will add all-natural healthy boosters to their product, but when it comes to additives, less is more, and they should always be lower down on the ingredients list than the fruit itself.

 

Despite being bombarded on all sides by labels and containers proclaiming their healthy, natural goodness, it can be tricky to make sure that the real fruit smoothie mix you’re bringing home to your family is actually made of fruit and not some cocktail of additives, preservatives and extra sugars. Luckily, by checking the labels and reading the ingredients, you can breathe easier, knowing that you’re making the healthiest choices possible for you and the people you care about most. Remember, "made with fruit” "flavored with fruit” and "100% real fruit smoothie mix” are not the same.