Can Juice Really Make You Healthier?

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Mix It Up A glass of OJ may deliver all the vitamin C you need in a day, but make room in your fridge for a new variety or an exotic blend and you'll get an even healthier payoff. That's because drinking a range of juices helps you maximize the kinds of vitamins and minerals you're getting. "Individual fruits and vegetables can offer some measure of protection against illness and chronic disease," says Janet Novotny, Ph.D., a research physiologist at the USDA's Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland. "But to get the greatest preventative benefits, you should diversify the type and color of produce you're taking in." In a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, women who ate from the widest array of botanical groups (18 plant families versus 5) experienced the most protection against oxidative damage, or the breakdown of cells and tissues.

Switch from white grapefruit juice to a ruby red version (the darker fruit may be more effective at cutting cholesterol), or try a blend with açai, an antioxidant–rich Brazilian berry. Learn the Lingo Some store bought juice "drinks," also called "cocktails" or "punches," contain as little as five percent juice. What you will find: water, lots of sugar, and artificial flavoring. Check the label to see what you're getting. "Your beverage should be 100 percent fruit juice, made without added sugar or high–fructose corn syrup," says Felicia Stoler, R.D., a Holmdel, New Jersey, nutritionist. "But extra vitamins, minerals, and fiber can be a healthy bonus."