The Minute Maid company is owned by Coca-Cola and sells ready-to-drink beverages like orange juices and lemonades. Given Coca-Cola’s reputation, you might be wondering if Minute Maid orange juices (or OJs) are good for your health.
Minute Maid Orange Juice is made of real, ripe oranges, and is fortified with all the natural goodness of oranges like vitamins and minerals. Most of the varieties do not have any added sugar, or gluten and are vegan. This is a good beverage for you, provided you drink it in moderation.
Looking for a detailed review of Minute Maid OJs? Continue reading.
Table of Contents
What are the ingredients in Minute Maid Orange Juice?
There are quite a few variants of orange juice produced by Minute Maid. They are –
- Original Orange Juice
- Pulp-Free Orange Juice
- Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D
- Kids+ Orange Juice
- Home Squeezed Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D
- Country Style Orange Juice
- Vitamin C & Zinc Pulp-Free Orange Juice
- Vitamin C & Zinc Low Pulp Orange Juice
Now, speaking of specific ingredients in these delicious fruit juices, Minute Maid Original and Pulp-Free OJs contain only two ingredients – pure filtered water and premium concentrated orange juice.
Minute Maid Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D contains calcium phosphate, calcium lactate, and vitamin D3 apart from the primary two ingredients. The Home Squeezed juice has only one additional ingredient – orange pulp.
Minute Maid Kids+ Orange Juice is made of pure filtered water, premium concentrated orange juice, calcium phosphate, calcium lactate, vitamin D3, vitamin E, and beta carotene.
Country Style Orange Juice is a simple one with only orange pulp, concentrated orange juice, and filtered water.
Minute Maid Vitamin C & Zinc Low Pulp Orange Juice contains filtered water, concentrated orange juice, high fructose corn syrup, orange pulp, natural flavors, vitamin C, beta carotene, zinc sulfate, citric acid, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, modified cornstarch, glycerol ester of rosin and gellan gum.
The Vitamin C & Zinc Pulp-Free Orange Juice has all of the above-mentioned ingredients only apart from the orange pulp.
ALSO READ: Juice Store announces collaboration
Minute Maid Orange Juice nutrition facts
One serving (8 fl oz) of Minute Maid classic OJs has 110 calories. This applies to the Original, Pulp-Free, Calcium and Vitamin D, Kids+, Home Squeezed, and Country Style variants.
One serving consists of 27 g of carbs, 24 g of sugar, and 15 mg of sodium. The content of carbs, sugar, and sodium remains the same in all the six classic varieties.
The trace amounts of vitamins and minerals like Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin C, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, and Magnesium differ. Apart from these vitamins and minerals, the Home Squeezed OJ also contains some iron.
The OJ with Calcium and Vitamin D contains vitamin D, while the Kids+ OJ contains vitamins A, D, and E (apart from C and B6).
Now, one serving (8 fl oz) of the newly launched Minute Maid’s variants contains 50 calories. This applies to Vitamin C & Zinc Pulp-Free, and Low Pulp orange juices. Such a serving also contains 11 g of carbs, 10 g of sugar (of which 4 g is added), and 15 mg of sodium.
Apart from these, the OJs contains trace amounts of calcium, iron, and potassium.
Is Minute Maid Orange Juice good for diabetics?
No, and here is why – Orange juice has a very high glycemic index between 66 and 76 out of 100. Glycemic index (GI) reflects the impact of particular food items on blood sugar levels. As the GI of orange juice is pretty high, it is not a suitable beverage for people with diabetes.
Minute Maid Orange Juice, is made of “100% pure squeezed orange juice” (according to its label on the carton) and is therefore not good for diabetics. It should be avoided by diabetic patients.
Is Minute Maid Orange Juice good for pregnancy?
Orange juice is a good, healthy beverage option for pregnant women. But you should ensure that the orange juice is pasteurized and fortified with calcium. Now, all of the Minute Maid OJs are pasteurized and contain calcium (except for the newly launched Vitamin C & Zinc Low Pulp and Pulp-Free Orange Juices).
So, the classic six Minute Maid OJs are good, and a healthy drink for pregnant women.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice help you lose weight?
Orange juice has few calories and zero fat content. So, it is a suitable drink if you are looking to shed an extra pound or so. However, nutritionists claim that eating a whole orange is better than drinking orange juice if you want to lose some weight. Fibers play a critical role in weight loss, and much of it in orange is lost when it is juiced.
One serving of 8 fl oz of the classic Minute Maid OJs contains 110 calories. On the other hand, the newly introduced Vitamin C and Zinc Low Pulp and Pulp-Free OJs have even fewer calories, as one 8 fl oz serving of these juices contain only 50 calories!
So, Minute Maid Orange Juice, particularly the new varieties, is an excellent option if you want to lose weight.
Is Minute Maid Orange Juice real?
Yes. The classic six varieties of Minute Maid OJs – Original, Pulp-Free, Calcium and Vitamin D, Kids+, Home Squeezed, and Country Style Orange Juice are made of 100% real orange juice. The newly launched OJs loaded with Vitamin C and Zinc are however made of 25% real orange juice.
The quantity of orange juice might differ. But, all of the juices are made of natural, ripe oranges.
Is Minute Maid Orange Juice made from concentrate?
Yes. Minute Maid Orange Juice is made from concentrate. The old six varieties are made of 100% pure squeezed orange juice from concentrate, while the two new varieties are made of 25% pure squeezed orange juice from concentrate.
Is Minute Maid Orange Juice vegan?
As is evident, there are many types of orange juices created by Minute Maid. Now, some of them, namely Minute Maid Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D, Home Squeezed Orange Juice, and the Kids+ Orange Juice contain vitamin D3. These three OJs are NOT vegan.
Let me tell you why.
D3, or cholecalciferol-D3 in Minute Maid actually comes from lanolin, which is a by-product of sheep wool. So, any product that contains D3, has an ingredient derived from an animal and is therefore not vegan.
If you are looking for vegan Minute Maid OJs, then choose from among the other five, i.e., Original, Pulp-Free, Country Style, Vitamin C & Zinc Pulp-Free, and Vitamin C & Zinc Low Pulp Orange Juice.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice have pulp?
Yes. Some of the Minute Maid Orange Juices have pulp. The Original OJ and Vitamin C & Zinc Low Pulp OJ have low pulp, while Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D, Country Style Orange Juice and Home Squeezed Orange Juice have medium pulp.
If you are looking for pulp-free OJs, then pick from these three – Minute Maid Pulp-Free, Kids+, and Vitamin C & Zinc Pulp-Free.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice have caffeine?
No. Minute Maid Orange juices do not have caffeine in them.
The juices are made of real oranges. Caffeine does not occur naturally in orange fruits or leaves. Also, caffeine is not artificially added to the Minute Maid OJs. So, you can safely drink your glass of OJ in the morning without having to worry about caffeine being present in it.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice have added sugar?
Yes. But only the newer varieties of Minute Maid OJs with vitamin C and Zinc have added sugar. Each serving of 8 fl oz of these OJs has 4 g of added sugar.
If you are looking for an orange juice with zero added sugar, then choose from the older six categories of Minute Maid orange juices.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice have calcium?
Yes. As already stated towards the beginning of the article, some of the Minute Maid OJs are fortified with calcium to help the consumers build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
Minute Maid Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D, Home Squeezed OJ, and Kids+ OJ contains a sufficiently high quantity of calcium phosphate and calcium lactate. However, since calcium occurs naturally in oranges, trace amounts of it are found in all of the Minute Maid OJs.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice have vitamins?
Yes. All the six classic varieties of Minute Maid OJs have trace amounts of vitamins C and B6. Some of the OJs are strengthened with high amounts of vitamins like A, C, D, and E.
Minute Maid Orange Juice with Calcium and Vitamin D and the Home Squeezed OJ contains vitamin D3. The benefits of vitamin D3 are multiple. This fat-soluble vitamin helps in calcium absorption and improves immunity by strengthening bones, muscles, and the heart. A deficiency of vitamin D3 can cause a host of problems, including cardiovascular diseases.
Minute Maid Kids+ OJ contains vitamins A and E along with vitamin D3. Vitamin A strengthens vision, boosts immunity, improves bone health, and may lower the risk of certain types of cancers.
Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and eyes. It strengthens the human body’s natural defense against infections and diseases. So, this fat-soluble vitamin also boosts immunity and is vital for the proper functioning of many essential organs of the human body.
Minute Maid Vitamin C & Zinc Pulp-Free and Low Pulp orange juices contain vitamin C. This vitamin also has multiple benefits like improvement of immunity, boosting memory and thinking ability, reducing iron deficiency, lowering high blood pressure, and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
As these four vitamins – A, C, D3, and E – are extremely essential for proper body function and boosting of immunity, Minute Maid OJ with Calcium and Vitamin D, Home Squeezed OJ, Kids+ OJ, Vitamin C & Zinc Pulp-Free and Low Pulp OJs are your best bets.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice have potassium?
Yes. As potassium occurs naturally in oranges. You will find potassium in the Minute Maid OJs as well. Potassium can help lower blood pressure, protect against stroke and prevent kidney stones. It is one of the most important minerals required for the human body.
All of the eight varieties of Minute Maid OJs are fortified with potassium. The older ones contain 450 mg in one serving of 8 fl oz OJ, while the newer ones have 120 mg potassium in one serving of OJ.
Does Minute Maid Orange Juice have high fructose corn syrup?
Yes, the two new varieties of Minute Maid OJs; Vitamin C & Zinc Low Pulp, and Pulp-Free Orange Juices, contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS is cheaper and sweeter than sugar and is more easily absorbed in the body.
There are a few cons attached to HFCS. Too much of it can lead to insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. So, if you are concerned about HFCS, then select your Minute Maid OJ from the older six varieties. They contain sugar that naturally occurs in oranges.
Is Minute Maid Orange Juice gluten-free?
Minute Maid clarifies on its website that none of its Orange Juices contain any gluten. Now, all the classic six varieties of Minute Maid OJs are made of 100% real juice without any additives. So, we can count them as gluten-free.
However, the newly launched OJs fortified with vitamin C and zinc are made of 25% real juice and also contain additives like high fructose corn syrup. So, the newer ones might not be gluten-free.
Is Minute Maid Orange Juice carbonated?
No. Minute Maid Orange Juice is not a carbonated beverage. If you are someone who wants to avoid carbonated drinks for the problems they bring, you can safely try Minute Maid.
References:
- https://www.minutemaid.com/products/orange-juice
- https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/products/025000048012-MinuteMaid100JuiceOrangeOrange/
- Does Glossier Skincare Have Fragrance? - October 21, 2022
- Is Aveeno Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
- Is Acure Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
