Before I dive into the topic du jour, let me first send a BIG congratulations to the PACKERS! What a fun game to watch and a great Super Bowl win for Green Bay! And although I’m usually more of a college football fan, Packer blood runs in my family…
Know what else is green and good for us (… how is that for a transition ;))
Vegetables!
I know that isn’t breaking news, and I know that a lot of us eat them regularly, but more is always better, right?
My friend, Jane, has been telling me about Juice Plus for as long as I can remember, and recently I decided to try out a 4 month supply of both the Garden Blend Gummies and the Orchard Gummies. (I’m paying for them, so I can give my honest opinion).
First of all, I like the gummies because it is like getting to eat a pack of fruit snacks everyday, and who didn’t love these growing up:
But Juice Plus has a lot more to it than just being a fun snack. Usually I am very cautious with taking any supplements. I prefer whole foods to be my source of nutrition over a manufactured pill, but Juice Plus struck my interest because it IS whole foods. In their own words,
“Juice Plus+® is whole food based nutrition, including juice powder concentrates from 17 different fruits, vegetables and grains.”
Included in Juice Plus are the following:
- Apple: Pectin along with a variety of polyphenols and other antioxidants
- Acerola Cherry: Vitamin C and anthocyanadins
- Cranberry: Flavonoid and phenolic antioxidants
- Orange: Vitamin C, folate, and several carotenoids including beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin
- Papaya: Vitamin C, potassium, and several carotenoids including beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin
- Peach: Vitamin C and several carotenoids
- Pineapple: Vitamin C and bromelain
- Tomato: Vitamin C, polyphenols, and several carotenoids including lycopene
- Oat Bran: Dietary fiber, vitamin E, several B vitamins, and minerals
- Beet: Folate, iron and calcium
- Broccoli: Folate, vitamin C, and several carotenoids including beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and glucosinolates
- Cabbage: Vitamin C, folate, and glucosinolates
- Carrot: Several carotenoids including beta-carotene, along with vitamin E
- Kale: Vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and several carotenoids including beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin
- Parsley: Vitamin C, folate, several carotenoids and flavonols
- Spinach: Folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, several carotenoids, iron, and calcium
- Brown Rice Bran: Dietary fiber, several B vitamins, and minerals
Also, the gummies are completely vegetarian-friendly because the gummy part is composed of fruit pectin instead of gelatin, which I found interesting!
For more information, you can check out The Facts and find out more information on it HERE. If you have any questions or want more info, let me know and I’ll pass your info along to my friend.
They are careful to mention that Juice Plus isn’t a substitute for eating fruits and veggies, but I feel like it can’t hurt to have a few more of these in my diet. I haven’t felt a radical change since I started taking them about a week ago, but I didn’t expect to because I’m already a pretty healthy person. But it makes me feel good knowing I’m squeezing in more fruits and veggies (especially some that I rarely or never eat) without the fear of vitamin overdose, like I would have from popping pills.
Just wanted to share with you what I started taking about a week ago, because generally speaking I am NOT a fan of supplements, but after thorough research, I’m interested enough to try it out…
So, have you heard of Juice Plus?
Have you taken it? Thoughts?
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston says
Hmm I’ve never heard of this or seen it in my stores yet.. I’ll have to look around and take a look for myself. I used to love fruit snacks as a kid (when we were allowed to have them that it!)
Corey @ the runner's cookie says
Never heard of these, but it seems interesting! I used to love fruit snacks, so I’m sure I’d be on board 🙂
Sherry says
I’ve taken Juice Plus for years. I don’t know that I feel any better (have always felt good) but I know that I am getting more fruits & vegetables than I would if I didn’t take them.
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen says
I haven’t heard of those…but I used to LOVE gummies and fruit snacks.
Wait…who am I kidding…I STILL love fruit snacks. [The Target brand ones are exceptionally good, and I like to keep them in the freezer…that has got to tell you something about the processed nature of a treat if it doesnt actually freeze, though…]
Christina @ Food.Fun.Fabulous. says
I’ve heard of Juice Plus but don’t know of anybody that takes them.
Alyssa @ Life of bLyss says
YUM! I’ve never heard of Juice Plus! I need to figure out where I can get them around here in VA Beach. 🙂
Samantha @ Health, Happiness & Skinny Jeans says
Interesting. I have never seen those before but I think its a good idea as long as people understand that real fruit is still ideal (fibre, fibre, fibre!)
Caree @ Fit-Mama says
I have never heard or seen those before. Very cool though!
Melissa @ Be Not Simply Good says
I like Samantha’s comment about fiber. Boy has it been hard for my kids to grasp that fruit juice is not the same as fruit. Fiber, fiber, fiber! 🙂
Brittany, would you share more about vitamin overdose? I take a multi-vitamin, and if there is a risk in that, I was not aware of it.
Maria @ Oh Healthy Day says
Confession: I purchased some gummy vitamins because I don’t like to swallow pills (I’m a five year old). I ended up eating so many that I made myself ill. Not really ill, but just felt so full and bloated.
This is all because I love gummies.These would be dangerous around me 🙂
But I love your review and I think with these would be great for camping, traveling, and for kids who go through a not-eating stage!
Jenn L @ Peas and Crayons says
I eat a lot of fruit and veggies… but i’d totally eat these out of yumminess alone. haha!
LIndsay says
Checking to see if you would like to learn more about the Juice Plus+ products. Please feel free to find me on facebook or email to jnln2010@gmail.com ~ I’m happy to answer any questions. To your health, Lindsay
Autumn @ Good Eats Girl says
I haven’t heard of these! Way cool!
Leo Gibbons says
If you can get 12 to 17 servings of fruits and veggies each day, you don’t really need Juice Plus. For the rest of us, Juice Plus is the best supplement on the planet because it’s whole food, and backed by tons of clinical research. Do your research before taking any supplement, including Juice Plus. That way, when you feel like quitting, you might remember all the good info you learned and keep going. My whole family takes JuicePlus and we are on the RAVE diet which is the only one I’ve found that makes sense. Whole foods, and no animal products.
Jane Preston says
WOW! Thanks Brittany. If anyone would like samples, please e-mail me and I will send you some. They are shipped from Memphis and unavailable in stores because we want to educate you on the link between nutrition and disease, not just sell you a product. We have a Children’s Research Program where kids can get them free! (ages 4-18 and full time undergraduate college students). Sorry, kids 13 and older get the capsules!
Robin Singer says
Thanks Brittany for sharing info about Juice Plus+. I have been taking Juice Plus+ for 9 years and my two boys(11 & 14) have been on The Children’s Health Study for almost 3 years. Both boys are athletic and I worry about them getting their daily intake of fruits and veggeis as they grow and develop. Juice Plus+ has definitely made a difference in their health. My younger son has asthma and he hardly ever gets a cold anymore. I know more about nutrition, health and wellness since I became a distributor 3 yrs ago. I have a passion to share info about health & preventative care to all who are interested. You can contact me through my website robinsjuiceplus.com.
Rex says
Hiya Brittany,
It’s 2014 now, why haven’t there been any more updates on this product, as it is usually sold in multiple month doses?
Brittany Dixon says
What kind of updates are you meaning?
Though I am still a a fan of Juice Plus, I do not take it anymore. I realized my nutritional needs, especially during pregnancy, required a bit more than fruits and veggies, so I am now taking Shaklee’s vitalizer and feel wonderful.