When you try Bert & Ernie’s Berry juice, the last thing you taste is berries, despite the name. Berries are moderately tart. This juice is very sweet. In fact, the overwhelming flavor is apple, and a look at the ingredients list on the label just confirms this. Here’s how it reads:

100% Fruit Juice (Filtered water sufficient to reconstitute apple, pear, aronia berry, strawberry, and raspberry juice concentrates)

No sugar, but fewer nutrients

The good news here is that there’s no added sugar, nor high fructose corn syrup. But the juices are from concentrate, which means they’re not as fresh or healthful as they naturally would be. The concentration process can boil away a lot of the healthier elements (like vitamins) from the fruit. Using fresh fruits that haven’t been concentrated is the best way to maximize nutrient intake from fruit.

To make up for this, Apple & Eve have added some ascorbic acid — Vitamin C to you and me — to get this juice above 100% of the RDA.

The more the berry-er

Berries are great for juices because they’re not overly sweet and there are many varieties from which to choose. And they’re often filled with healthful flavonoids. Strawberries in particular are rich in Vitamin C and add a bit of calcium, magnesium, folate, and potassium.

Blueberries also add a strong blast of antioxidants.
This recipe is a slightly tarter version of Apple & Eve’s Berry flavor, but it relies more on the berry taste, not overpowering it with super-sweet apple. And because you’re using fresh berries instead of juices from concentrate, you’re maintaining 100% of the vitamin value.

Plus! This recipe even includes a lime, to get that same extra Vitamin C the off-the-shelf berry juice adds in.

Out of season tip

Winter isn’t the best time of year to get fresh berries. However, frozen fruits will work just as well with this recipe — just be sure to let them thaw first.

Frozen fruits tend to be cheaper at this time of year and there is no nutrient loss from their fresh counterparts.

BetterBerry Juice

  • 8 ounces fresh or thawed blueberries
  • 8 ounces fresh or thawed blackberries
  • 8 ounces fresh or thawed strawberries (de-leafed)
  • 1 lime, peeled

Process through the juicer and serve immediately.