Worst Food of the Week: Motts for Tots juice boxes

AS A MARKETING GIMMICK, MOTTS FOR TOTS CLAIMS “40% less sugar” than other fruit juices. The idea is, since many people cut their kid’s apple juice with water, those people could just buy it already cut with water in a juice box.

BUT HERE’S THE TRUTH:

Motts for Tots juice box – 13g of sugar

Apples and Eve Fruitables juice box – 15g sugar

Juicy Juice 100% Apple juice box – 13g of sugar

Apples and Eve Big Bird juice box – 12g sugar

SO WHILE MOTTS FOR TOTS ISN’T LYING, it is misleading consumers. If you compare Motts for Tots with bottled juices, it does have less sugar. But compared to other juice boxes, it’s about the same.

The bottom line: If you give your child juices boxes you’re not saving on sugars by buying Motts for Tots.

And a few words about apple juice in general:

• No matter how many pediatricians recommend it, it’s not the healthiest option for your child.

• The vitamin C is put into the apple juice, it doesn’t occur there naturally.

• The majority of apple juices (including the three brands above) are made with concentrates from a variety of countries (like China) where regulations differ and sometimes aren’t as rigorous and the U.S.

• Some apple juices, such as Motts for Tots are made using natural and artificial flavors, not just apple juice.

• Recently, a study was released revealing that most brands of apple juice contain lead.

• Regardless of what the government allows food companies to say, juice does not equal a serving of fruit.

The bottom bottom line: I’m not sure how apple juice became the juice of choice for toddlers and kids, but it’s definitely not the healthiest option. If you give your kids juices, go for 100%, non-clear juices which have more nutrients and fewer additives – but remember to check the ingredients!