I became a green juice skeptic the day I was sitting at my desk drinking a bottle that I’d picked up from 7-Eleven. It was green, so that meant it was good for me, right? Then I read the label: There were 53 grams of sugar in the 15.2-ounce bottle. For perspective, there’s 52 grams of sugar in a 16-ounce Coke.
The thing is, green juices can be a pretty handy way to incorporate fruits and veggies into your diet when you’re on the go. Charmaine Jones, the DC registered dietician behind Food Jonezi, says she likes the viridescent drinks because they’re “nutrient dense, packed with vitamins, minerals and sometimes fiber that are beneficial for proper growth and body maintenance.” However, like with any food group, moderation is key.
Jones recommends limiting your juice intake to eight ounces per meal—especially if its high in carbohydrates (which includes sugar) or sodium.
“Drinking an eight ounce of any type of juice that has a total carbohydrate of 30 to 45 grams per serving is like eating two to three slices of bread, or two to three small oranges, or one to one and a half cups of mashed potatoes,” says Jones.
In regards to sodium, Jones recommends following the “five to 20 percent rule,” as in, sticking to juices that contain less than five to 20 percent of your daily value of sodium.
“In this case, selecting a juice with sodium that has a percent daily value of five percent or lower is highly encouraged; however, these pressed green juices are loaded with nutritional goodies, so going slightly over the recommendations; let’s say five to 11 percent DV for sodium will not harm you,” says Jones.
So what are some reliable grab-and-go green juices you can sip in a pinch? Here’s five of our faves.
What’s in it: Celery, cucumber, apple, spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, lime, parsley, and lemon juices.
Why we like it: This 15.2-ounce juice is low on calories with just 100 calories in the whole bottle. There’s a relatively low 22 grams of carbohydrates in it, and it’ll supply you with a little boost of vitamin A and C, along with calcium and iron. It’s a little higher in sodium—it totals at 12 percent of your daily value in the whole juice—so keep an eye out if you have dietary restrictions or high blood pressure. Find the full nutritional information
here.
What’s in it: Kale, spinach, romaine, cucumber, celery, and parsley.
Why we like it: There’s no fruit in this juice, so it’s much lower in carbohydrates and sugar than other green juices. It’s also pretty low in sodium: The bottle contains six percent of your daily value, or 160mg. With so many great greens in it, it really packs in the vitamin A and C, plus some calcium and iron. Find the full nutritional information
here.
What’s in it: Cucumber, celery, kale, spinach, lemon, and mint.
Why we like it: This drink packs in seven grams of protein, 260 percent of your daily value of vitamin A, and 160 percent of your daily value of vitamin C. When it comes to carbs and sodium, it’s acceptable as well: 19 grams of carbohydrates and six percent of your daily value of sodium. Find the full nutritional information
here.
What’s in it: Juices from organic romaine lettuce, apples, celery, cucumbers, lemon juice, kale, spinach, and parsley, water, and natural peppermint flavor.
Why we like it: At just 50 calories in the 12-ounce bottle, it’s not going to make a huge dent in your calorie intake, but it is going to give you a little boost of vitamin C. It’s also quite low in sodium (just one percent of your daily value) as well as carbohydrates (12 grams in the bottle). Find the full nutritional information
here.
What’s in it: Organic juice from celery, cucumber, collard greens, lemon, kale, green chard, parsley, ginger, romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce, peppermint and spearmint leaf tea, and spinach.
Why we like it: This USDA certified organic juice is full of all kinds of deep greens, which means it’s low on calories (70 per bottle) but provides 20 percent of your daily value of vitamin C. It’s also low on carbs (14 grams per bottle) and contains a not-so-terrible ten percent of your daily value of sodium. Find the full nutritional information
here.
Note: Talk with your doctor and registered dietician to learn if and how you should incorporate green juices into your diet.
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Associate Editor
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
