Fruit juice is an easy way to load up on a variety of vitamins and nutrients at any meal or on the go to boost your health.
But with a seemingly endless variety of juices on the shelf, it can be difficult to pick out which ones may actually be worth something.
While single-ingredient and fresh juices offer benefits, blends and juices with long ingredient lists may have added sugar lurking within with totals rivaling sugary sodas.
With this in mind, dietitians have told Daily Mail which juices they most often recommend to their clients.
Pomegranate juice, for example, is a tart treat linked to lower cholesterol and blood pressure due to its antioxidants.
Orange juice, a mainstay at breakfast tables across America, is packed with disease-fighting vitamin C, which may help ward off the common cold.
And cranberry juice may be the hidden trick to avoiding painful urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Below, dietitians reveal their favorite juices for heart health, better sleep and immune protection.
Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice contains antioxidants shown to lower cholesterol (stock image)
Kristen Kuminski, a registered dietitian nutritionist at The Rx Index, told the Daily Mail that pomegranate juice is ‘at the top of the list’ of juices she recommends to her clients. ‘The research on cardiovascular benefits is among the strongest of any juice.’
Recent studies, for example, show pomegranate juice may lead to lower cholesterol.
This is because pomegranates contain compounds called polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that give the fruit its rich red hue. These compounds neutralize harmful molecules called free radicals, preventing oxidative stress that leads to inflammation and arteries becoming clogged with LDL (bad) cholesterol.
In one 2023 meta–analysis, consuming pomegranates consistently was associated with modest 12 mg/dL drops in triglycerides and 4 mg/dL decreases in total cholesterol, on average.
In a small study of overweight people with dyslipidemia – a condition that causes high cholesterol – people who drank a cup of pomegranate juice every day for two weeks lowered their LDL cholesterol by 4 to 6 mg/dL.
Importantly, this is not on par with statins, which can cut LDL cholesterol by 20 to 60 percent.
However, while there are health benefits, you should still be mindful of how much you’re drinking.
Each cup of pomegranate juice contains 34g of natural sugar, so Kuminski warns against overdoing it.
‘The drawback is the sugar content, so I recommend four to eight ounces rather than treating it like water,’ she said.
Cranberry juice
Cranberry juice is thought to help prevent UTIs, but experts emphasize it cannot treat an active infection (stock image)
A glass of cranberry juice can ward off painful and uncomfortable UTIs, at least according to mixed research.
In one 2024 meta-analysis, researchers found people who drank cranberry juice regularly were 54 percent less likely to develop a UTI than those who did not.
The drink also reduced the need to use antibiotics by about 59 percent.
A study published earlier this month in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found cranberry juice boosted antibiotic activity and suppressed the emergence of mutations in 72 percent of tested E.coli strains that affect the urinary tract.
E.coli is the bacteria that causes UTIs.
Johannah Katz, a Florida-based registered dietitian at Nourish, told the Daily Mail that cranberry juice could protect urinary health because active compounds called proanthocyanidins ‘may help prevent certain bacteria, particularly E.coli, from adhering to the urinary tract lining.’
However, she cautions that this is ‘more of a “preventive support” effect rather than a treatment,’ meaning it cannot treat an active UTI.
‘Cranberry juice works for urinary health, but most commercial versions are so diluted and sweetened that you’re not getting the therapeutic benefit. Look for unsweetened or high percentage cranberry content,’ Kuminiski said.
Orange juice
Experts believe orange juice could lower cholesterol due to the presence of flavonoids (stock image)
Orange juice has long been seen as a breakfast staple for warding off the common cold.
Each eight-ounce cup contains about 130 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, which acts as a powerful antioxidant that protects disease-fighting white blood cells from damage.
It also helps produce collagen, a protein that provides structure and elasticity to the skin, bones and joints. That elasticity helps enhance the skin’s barrier against pathogens.
And much like pomegranate juice, research suggests heart health benefits.
‘Orange juice is also believed to lower cholesterol and blood pressure due to the presence of flavonoid hesperidin, found in the rinds of citrus fruits,’ Nicolle Cucco, a registered dietitian at Muscle Booster in the UK, told the Daily Mail.
‘This is why orange juice with bits (pulp) is considered better, as it contains more fiber and higher levels of flavonoids.’
Cucco suggests sticking to one eight-ounce glass at breakfast to avoid overdoing the sugar, as each serving contains 25g of natural sugar.
Cherry juice
Cherry juice has been shown to aid in muscle recovery and promote restful sleep (stock image)
‘Tart cherry juice is one I’ve been recommending more consistently,’ Kuminski told the Daily Mail.
She notes tart cherry juice contains melatonin, a hormone that regulates the body’s circadian rhythm and influences sleep quality.
One 2019 study found drinking 30mL (1oz) of tart cherry juice twice per day increased sleep time by an hour in older adults with insomnia.
‘Because of this, a small glass in the evening is a perfect addition to a nighttime routine,’ Cucco said.
Cherries also contain antioxidants called anthocyanins, which have been shown to improve muscle pain and recovery in athletes.
One recent study found drinking tart cherry juice after weight training or running reduced strength loss by 22 percent compared to the placebo group.
‘The melatonin and anthocyanin content has solid research behind it for sleep quality and post-exercise muscle recovery,’ Kuminski said.
‘Athletes and older adults both respond well to it.’
Beet juice
Beet juice contains nitrates, which convert into nitric oxide, a compound shown to improve blood flow to the brain (stock image)
It’s less prevalent on store shelves, but dietitians are increasingly recommending beet juice.
‘Beet juice is underrated,’ Kuminski said.
She explained that the juice contains compounds called nitrates, which convert into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide has been shown to relax blood vessels, improving blood flow throughout the body.
That increased blood flow also applied to the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making, planning, working memory and social behavior. This may improve cognitive function.
‘By increasing blood flow to the frontal lobe, the area responsible for higher-level thinking and working memory, it can help you stay sharp and focused throughout the day,’ Cucco said.
Kuminiski notes beets can have an intense, earthy flavor, so she suggests mixing it with apple or ginger.
Juices to avoid
Kuminski suggests opting for 100 percent juice and steering clear of ‘juice cocktails’ or blends, which may be high in added sweeteners alongside natural sugar.
‘Juices I steer clients away from are anything from concentrate with added sugar, and fruit punch style blends that are essentially flavored sugar water with minimal actual juice content,’ she said.
Katz also told the Daily Mail that too much of any 100 percent juice can raise blood sugar while not providing the fiber seen in whole fruits.
‘Even “healthy” juices can become metabolically disruptive in larger quantities, so I tend to emphasize portion size, pairing, and frequency,’ she said.
