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What Are The Ingredients in Juice Plus? A Complete Overview

3 min read

A 2015 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that only 13% of Americans consume enough fruit and 9% consume enough vegetables, highlighting a significant dietary gap. Understanding what are the ingredients in Juice Plus is crucial for consumers considering this popular supplement to help bridge that nutritional divide.

Quick Summary

This article breaks down the ingredients across the different Juice Plus products, including the Fruit, Vegetable, Berry, and Omega Blends. It details the whole food sources, added nutrients, and manufacturing process while addressing common criticisms.

Key Points

  • Whole Food Concentrates: Juice Plus capsules are made from powders of whole fruits, vegetables, and berries, including peels and seeds.

  • Plant-Based Omega Source: The Omega blend uses oils from algae and other seeds, not fish, providing a vegan source of fatty acids.

  • Fortified Vitamins: After dehydration, additional vitamins like A, C, and E are added back to standardize nutrient levels.

  • Low Fiber Content: Because the water and pulp are removed during processing, the capsules contain very little dietary fiber compared to whole foods.

  • Multiple Product Lines: Beyond the core capsules, Juice Plus offers Complete meal replacement shakes and Chewables, with similar core ingredients but different formats.

  • Controversy and Cost: Critics question the product's high cost relative to the actual quantity of food powder and the efficacy of some health claims.

In This Article

Juice Plus is a line of dietary supplements derived from concentrated whole fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based ingredients. The company offers several products, most notably the Essentials Capsules, which come in Fruit, Vegetable, Berry, and Omega blends, as well as Complete Shakes and Chewables. Each product has a unique ingredient profile derived from whole food sources.

The Core Capsule Ingredients: Fruit, Vegetable, and Berry Blends

The foundational products of the Juice Plus line are the capsules, which contain whole food powder concentrates. The company states produce is processed into concentrates.

The Juice Plus+ Fruit Blend

The Fruit Blend capsules contain concentrated powders from fruits such as apple, peach, cranberry, and orange. For a full list of ingredients in the Fruit, Vegetable, and Berry Blends, as well as the Plant-Based Omega Blend, please refer to {Link: Juice Plus https://us.juiceplus.com/products/fruit-vegetable-and-berry-capsules}.

The Juice Plus+ Vegetable Blend

This blend features concentrated vegetable and grain powders, including broccoli, parsley, and beet.

The Juice Plus+ Berry Blend

Designed for antioxidants and phytonutrients, the Berry Blend includes concentrated powders from raspberry, bilberry, and cocoa.

The Plant-Based Omega Blend

Offering a vegan source of omega fatty acids, the Omega Blend utilizes oils from various plants rather than fish, providing omegas 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 from sources like algae, pomegranate seed oil, and raspberry seed oil.

Complete Shakes and Chewable Ingredients

Juice Plus Complete Shakes are plant-based meal replacements with protein from sources including soy, chickpeas, and peas, along with grains, sprouts, and fibers. The Chewables contain the same fruit, vegetable, and berry blends as the capsules but are in a gummy form sweetened with ingredients like tapioca syrup and organic cane syrup and use fruit pectin.

Whole Food vs. Supplement: A Comparison

Juice Plus products are based on whole foods but are not a substitute for fresh produce, as the concentration process removes water and fiber.

Feature Juice Plus+ Capsules Whole Fruits & Vegetables
Preparation No preparation needed; just take capsules. Requires washing, peeling, and cooking.
Fiber Low dietary fiber content. High in beneficial dietary fiber.
Nutrients Concentrated phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. May have added nutrients. Complete range of nutrients, including hydration and fiber.
Cost Considered expensive relative to the nutrient content by some critics. Generally more cost-effective for daily nutrient intake.
Convenience Highly convenient for busy lifestyles. Less convenient, requiring regular shopping and meal prep.

The Manufacturing Process and Added Vitamins

After the produce is processed into concentrated powder, specific plant-sourced vitamins are added, such as beta-carotene from Dunaliella salina algae and vitamin E from soy. This fortification standardizes micronutrient levels. Juice Plus facilities are monitored by the FDA, and products are NSF-certified, ensuring label accuracy.

Understanding the Controversies Around Juice Plus Ingredients

Criticisms of Juice Plus ingredients and marketing exist. Some reviewers note the small quantity of food powder per capsule. A ConsumerLab test found a shortfall in claimed calcium in one instance. Studies on nutrient absorption have shown mixed results for some vitamins and phytochemicals. The company's marketing through a multi-level structure has also led to regulatory warnings and fines for unsubstantiated claims, raising questions about value compared to cost.

Conclusion: Evaluating Juice Plus Ingredients

Juice Plus ingredients include concentrated fruit, vegetable, and berry powders, plant-based oils, and added vitamins. Products contain a range of phytonutrients and undergo quality control with NSF certification. However, the dehydration process removes fiber and water found in fresh produce. While the company points to research on benefits like antioxidant boosts, supplements should not replace a balanced whole-food diet. Consumers should consider the convenience alongside criticisms regarding cost and concentration levels.

Juice Plus+ Ingredients

Frequently Asked Questions

The Fruit Blend contains concentrated powder from apples, peaches, cranberries, oranges, mangoes, beets, acerola cherries, pineapples, prunes, dates, and lemon peel.

The Vegetable Blend includes concentrated powders from broccoli, parsley, beets, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, kale, rice bran, lemon peel, and acerola cherry.

The Berry Blend features concentrated powders from raspberries, bilberries, cocoa, blueberries, Concord grapes, pomegranates, blackberries, cranberries, artichokes, black currants, elderberries, and acerola cherry.

Juice Plus states its produce is non-GMO and sourced from high-quality farms. While some ingredients like cane syrup in the chewables are listed as organic, the products are not universally marketed as 100% organic.

Yes, the standard Fruit, Vegetable, Berry, and Omega blend capsules are vegan. The Chewables are also vegetarian, using fruit pectins instead of gelatin.

No, Juice Plus is designed to complement, not replace, a healthy diet. It lacks the fiber, hydration, and overall completeness of whole, fresh produce.

Yes, Juice Plus Chewables contain added sugar from natural sweeteners like tapioca syrup and organic cane syrup to make them palatable.

Yes, controversies exist. Critics cite low amounts of actual food powder, high cost, and unproven health claims. A ConsumerLab test also found a shortfall in claimed calcium in one blend.

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Medical Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice.