. Even though we love it, our consumption has been slowing down over the years as more people learn that it isn't as healthy as we thought. The average person in the United States drank about six gallons of juice per year in 2018; in
. So you may already know that juice isn't always the best choice for a healthy lifestyle. Here are some other facts that might make you reconsider how much juice you're drinking.label means that there is just juice, it can be more than just the fruit that's on the label. As long as the juice is made only from fruits and vegetables, it's considered 100% .
, which means adding things like orange essential oil or orange essence to get the correct flavor. And one more surprise about O.J.: Most of the supply in the U.S. comes from Brazil, not Florida.Getting freshly made juice from the farmer's market or a juice bar sounds like a fresher alternative to store-bought options, but it can have its own drawbacks.reports that non-pasteurized juices can pose a risk for harmful bacteria that causes illness.
in 2019, and found"concerning levels of heavy metals" in almost half of them. Prior food studies revealed that elements like cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic are already in our food supply, but drinkable juice is of particular concern because children consume so much of it."Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of heavy metals," says Consumer Reports, noting that these are toxic and can potentially cause a variety of health problems.