Juice Shots vs. Real Fruit: Are We Losing Something?

I’m glad to be back, my friends. I had a great time in Texas at my niece and nephew’s high school graduation, and spending time with family. Family reunions are always a bit taxing for this introverted soul, but I’ll be fully recovered by the end of the week, or at least that’s the hope.

Reading is my way of recharging my emotional batteries. While catching up on some reading, I came across an article in The Economist titled “Are juice shots worth the price?” and I thought, “Are you kidding me?” So I read the article, and it’s incredible, the things we do as humans to keep up with the fast pace of life. We really do need to slow down and enjoy things more.

Just to clarify: the article is talking about juice shots, as in the drinkable kind, like tequila or rum shots, not some sort of medical injection. Anyway, the whole thing seems a bit ridiculous to me. A 12-pack of Banana & Berry 2.5 fl oz shots costs $49.99 (43.95 euros or 36.98 pounds). You’d get so much more value (and probably better nutrition) by buying actual bananas and blueberries and making a smoothie in a blender.

Well, I suppose a juice shot is better than a tequila shot… or maybe not. You be the judge.

Here’s a summary of the article:

Ginger shots and other health-focused juice blends are increasingly popular, especially in urban areas like London, where brands such as Moju, Suja, and Plenish promote them as convenient, nutrient-packed ways to support immunity and well-being. These products often contain ingredients like ginger, turmeric, and berries and are advertised with names like “Turmeric Recovery” and “Berry Gut Health,” claiming to provide 100% of the recommended daily intake of various vitamins.

Ginger and turmeric have a long history in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Though robust clinical trials are limited, some research suggests ginger can help with nausea and inflammation, while curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, may reduce pain and cholesterol. Berry-based shots are also gaining traction due to their antioxidant properties. One 2023 randomized, placebo-controlled study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that older adults who consumed 26 grams of freeze-dried whole berries daily for 12 weeks showed improved memory, attention, and lower blood pressure.1 Another 2024 study from Washington State University found that elderberry juice improved gut health and glucose regulation over just one week.

Still, whether these benefits carry over to commercial juice shots is uncertain. Moju has conducted some of its own research, including a small study published in Foods involving 14 healthy individuals taking a prebiotic shot containing apple, lemon, ginger, and raspberry juice for three weeks. The findings suggested positive effects on the gut microbiome.

Experts like Dr. Vasantha Rupasinghe from Dalhousie University argue that juice shots can deliver beneficial compounds, such as anthocyanins in berries, in sufficient quantities to make a difference, something that might be hard to achieve with whole fruit alone. However, there are important caveats. High concentrations of some natural substances can be toxic, and the bioavailability of certain nutrients depends on how they’re consumed. For instance, curcumin is more effectively absorbed when paired with piperine, found in black pepper.2

Moreover, juice shots often remove pulp and skin, the parts of the fruit richest in fiber and antioxidants, which support digestion and protect against chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Whole fruits, while less convenient, may therefore offer more complete health benefits.

The article concludes that while occasional, properly formulated juice shots may offer some health perks and are generally safe, their benefits can be overstated. For most people, eating whole fruits remains a better, more affordable choice, than paying $2.48 juice shot from Walmart.

Well, like I said at the beginning, it’s good to be back, and please, save some money by eating the real thing. Between $2.48 juice shots and $3 or $4 for a cup of coffee every day, no wonder we’re always running out of money. 

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939475325001723 ↩︎
  2. https://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/blog/blog-posts/2019/6/using-black-pepper-to-enhance-the-anti-inflammatory-effects-of-turmeric/ ↩︎

51 thoughts on “Juice Shots vs. Real Fruit: Are We Losing Something?”

  3. This is another chapter in the Standard American Diet (SAD). Juice shots sound like a poor substitute for actual fruit. In the US, we keep taking food away from its natural state and calling it healthy by proxy. Juicers can be nice. I have a juicer and I can add back in pulp if I’d like. But that won’t replace my fruit and vegetable servings for the day. There are no shortcuts to good health.

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      1. When I think of how much time it used to take to make everything from scratch, I understand our shortcuts. Hard to have time to make bread everyday, can and pickle vegetables, pick fruit, process meats, make ice cream if you want dessert…

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  4. So glad you are back and posting such interesting content to ponder. This sentence summed it up for me, “Whole fruits, while less convenient, may therefore offer more complete health benefits.” It seems like anytime we process anything food related, we end up worse off!

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  5. Hi, Ed. Glad to have you back. I am happy you enjoyed your time with family. Congratulations to your nephew on his graduation. As far as the fruit shots, I am on Rose’s list of those who agree with you. A year and a half ago I bought me a juicer. All I have do now is buy the fruits and I can have as many shots as I want to juice. Lol!

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  6. Sounds like most of us agree with you: too many people can wear us out even when we love them, and juice shots are not a good deal. Thanks for sharing this article.

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  7. I love your comment about your recovery time from all the family activity — even when it’s great stuff! I hear you! And thanks for a timely post. I have a friend who wants me to get back to drinking ginger turmeric juice shots but I think they’re ridiculously expensive. Not for me. I tried a little 4-pack a few months ago and thought they were oooookay, but not worth the $$$. 😜

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    1. Wow, talk about timing. My wife drinks a mix of ginger, turmeric, lemon, and cinnamon in hot water every morning. Apparently, it’s good and definitely inexpensive. My only complaint is the orange pot, thanks to the turmeric, but I guess I shouldn’t complain too much, since we’re probably saving some money. Still, it’s a pain to clean. 😆

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  8. Good to see you, Edward! I’ve had some juice shots. I don’t know if they did anything for me. My thing right now is drinking water with flavored vinegars. At this moment, it’s coconut lime vinegar in a glass of water. It’s supposed to have health benefits and offers variety to drinking plain water.

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  10. It never ceases to amaze me how the influencers and marketing gurus of the world create a need for products that cost too much money and really don’t add any value to our lives. I know I’m frugal, but I can’t imagine paying that much money for a juice shot. What next?

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    1. I know, it’s incredible. I’m frugal too, and there’s no way I’m going to pay that much when I can do it myself, and for cheap. I can make a huge batch of smoothies with bananas, strawberries, and some milk for a fraction of the cost of that juice shot. I’m not sure what’s next, but it doesn’t look promising. Thank you, Michelle.

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  11. As for you, I am an advocate of eating fruits or veggies instead of juice shots or similars. Eating as close to nature as possible is the way to holistic well-being. The real value of a product is in its natural integrity. And that goes beyond contemporary tendencies and marketing. Very good post, Edward. Practical and informative! Thank you for this great share, my friend, and welcome back. Now it’s time to read a lot (to get back to your center) and to drink many real fruit juices (to nurture yourself holistically). Infinite blessings and light to you 🙏✨🌈

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    1. You’re welcome, my friend, and thank you for your wonderful comment. I agree with you that the real value is in its natural integrity. Taking shortcuts on something as simple as eating fresh fruits and vegetables doesn’t improve our well-being. Blessings, my friend.

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  12. Maybe some juice shots will assist with your post-vacation recovery. 😁 Interesting trend. Thanks for sharing. I make my own healthy smoothies and usually include fresh ginger. 👍🏻

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    1. Strawberry-banana smoothies and coffee are my fix. I know, very interesting. Every time I read about the shortcuts people are taking, it reminds me of the Pixar movie Wall-E, where the surviving humans living in space were heavily dependent on robots and artificial stuff, which led them to become unproductive and physically unfit.

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      1. Sounds delicious. Mine is packed with fruits, veggies, and protein powder. And ginger! I haven’t kept up with animated movies, but your mention reminds me of the book Brave New World. 😟

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  14. Well, this shows a perfectly wonderful vacation as you explore the hype of the juice shot. I’m a sucker here and there and I like the real deal but please add a shot of whiskey too for that price.. lol. Eating out on trips and the drinks could break you. Sounds like a taxing but necessary trip and I’m sure appreciated by your nephew. Welcome back, Edward! 💕

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  17. LOL. I think juice shots might fall in the “more money than brains” category! But, Edward, I love hearing about what you’ve been reading, and I especially love how you write about it. Btw, have you read the recent WaPo article entitled “Father’s Day Gifts for the dad who really likes to clean”?!! 😂

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    1. Thank you, Jane. It’s funny that you mentioned “more money than brains:” because my first draft had a similar line. It’s a little bit insane. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m sure I’m going to find one or two items of interest there. 🤣

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  19. “Well, I suppose a juice shot is better than a tequila shot… or maybe not. You be the judge.” – Texas culture is influencing you 😅. Yes, people just need to eat fruit. And what’s not to love about a smoothie? Similar thing really, the blender does some of the digestion so I assume this makes the good stuff easier to absorb. I love a smoothie with nothing more than banannas, mixed berries, Greek yogurt and a packet of raspberry EmergenC for extra tang.

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    2. I know, I spent a week in Texas and I’m already talking about tequila! But at least I mentioned rum, which is more in line with my Puerto Rican roots. Well, tequila or rum isn’t great for our well-being. I think coffee is better, but I’m definitely not doing juice shots when I can actually eat the fruit or enjoy a homemade smoothie. Thank for reading, my friend.

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  20. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of juice shots, Edward. I seldom drink even a glass of juice because I prefer whole fresh fruit. Thank you for the very informative post!

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    1. You’re welcome, Terry! It was my first time as well. I was fully aware of energy shots that contain caffeine, but juice was new to me. I also like to eat the fruit and occasionally make a smoothie, which I just add some milk to. I try to avoid juices because of the amount of sugar they have.

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