I have heard about g3 juices. Do they help seniors?

Like most “miracle” diet and health products on today’s market, the new rash of super juices are nothing more than a marketing ploy with questionable, if any, scientific evidence supporting their claims. An unfortunate addition to this new market is the recent focus on juices that promise health improvements for older adults.

Your question focuses specifically on g3 Juices, but speaks to any brand of juice with patented blends guaranteeing health benefits. Some of the more common fruits included in these expensive and calorie-laden concoctions include:

1.   Noni fruit juice

A tropical fruit indigenous to the Pacific islands, proponents of this fruit juice claim it cures everything from diabetes to allergies. There is no substantial evidence showing it has any health benefits. The cost and off-putting taste are further reasons to leave it on the shelf.

2.   Mangosteen fruit juice

Mangosteen fruit contains antioxidants…as do all fruits. However, marketers have ratcheted up the focus on this juice lately. Again, there are no substantial studies indicating any health benefit from including an abundance of this particular fruit or juice in your diet.

3.   Pomegranate fruit juice

Don’t you wish you had thought of this one? Pomegranate juice, from the pomegranate fruit, has taken off as a perceived health promoting food. An aggressive marketing campaign and attractive packaging have made it a mainstay on conventional grocery store shelves. There have been a number of small studies showing a slight benefit from its inclusion in the diet of people with prostate cancer and certain types of heart disease. However, the evidence is still inconclusive, small-scale and the majority of the scientific community does not recommend it for any type of regular use.

Marketing foods with promises of health is an age-old practice; when elderly and those on a fixed-income are targeted, the approach is particularly detestable. One hundred percent fruit juice can be a healthful addition to a senior citizen’s diet, particularly if they have trouble consuming adequate calories. Including a multivitamin in addition to a well-balanced diet is another well-established recommendation for older adults. However, nothing in current research or conventional scientific wisdom points to the need for expensive super juices in anyone’s daily diet.

For information on noni juice and curing cancer see the following article from TheDietChannel: Noni Juice: A Cure for Cancer?

Katie Clark, MPH, RD Contributing Expert

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