The taste of real fruit… with no added sugar

I used to look at them in the supermarket but I never dared buy them. I’ve read the labels and know that they say that the juice contains “polyphenols”, but I hadn’t a clue about their health benefits or their added value. (As you know, I’m not a nutritionist). So, what exactly were Patience Fruit & Co trying to sell me? As I’m a naturally inquisitive person, I ended up succumbing to temptation and buying the organic wild blueberry juice.

When I got home, I could hardly wait (that’s just how I am). I poured myself a shooter of blueberry juice, just to quickly see what it tasted like.

Reading the label, I saw that it said “Dilute to taste” and I realized that these juices are natural concentrates containing all the benefits of the fruit. 100% pure. Only real ingredients. Only genuine, unpretentious things. That’s what I like. Like this photo I took, it’s all very simple with no bells or whistles. Real things, as simple as that.

I checked out their website and looked at the other available kinds of pure organic juice with no added sugar: wild blueberry, cranberry and cherry.

You know what? The next day I went back to the store and bought the other two. I was just too intrigued. And I’m so happy and so proud of this discovery, which has no added refined sugar.

Their secret? They contain no water or added sugar: only the juice extracted from the fruit.  The wild blueberry one tastes like a dream come true for those who love the taste of real blueberries. A small glass of juice is all you need to satisfy your craving and fuel up on polyphenols* (over 456 mg per 250 mL serving). The cranberry juice is perfectly acidic but oh-so deliciously flavoursome. And it’s great for making cocktails or mocktails without getting an overload of sugar.

The one that stole my heart? The cherry juice. I find it’s got a unique, intoxicating taste. Not too sweet, not too acidic, just perfect. It gives it a subtle ‘cherryish’ touch (does that word even exist? hahaha!) with just the right balance. I love it.

It was therefore the cherry juice that inspired me to come up with the recipe for my Summer Splash Iced Green Tea. My kids love the taste of store-bought iced tea. What I don’t like are the heaps of refined sugar they add to them. Obviously, my version is sweetened with date puree and I also have a “decaf” version for when I’m making a large amount for the kids. And yes, you can easily use date puree to “better and more healthily” sweeten drinks.

I’ve talked about my recipe and this delicious discovery but… what about those *polyphenols that Patience Fruit & Co refers to on its bottles? As I’m not a nutritionist by training, I had no idea (I’m honest). I started doing some research on the Internet until I thought to myself that the best thing to do was to ask Isabelle for her opinion.

Polyphenols are molecules widely distributed in the plant kingdom. Their role is to defend plants against various potential aggressions (UV radiation, insects, diseases, etc.). The presence of polyphenols can also affect the bitterness, astringency, colour, flavour and oxidation stability of the foods we consume.

The consumption of foods that are high in polyphenols also has health benefits. These molecules have antioxidant properties that can help the body fight against oxidative stress. Over the long term, a high-polyphenol diet, notably through a high intake of fruit and vegetables, could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases and neurodegenerative diseases and contribute to the prevention of cancer.

However, be careful because, although these juices have no added sugar, they nonetheless contain large amounts of free sugars, that is to say sugars that are no longer part of the initial components of food in its raw state (in this case, the fruit fibre). Like all other juices and sweet beverages, they should be consumed in moderation. It is therefore preferable to dilute them with water or an infusion, as Madame’s recipe in this article suggests.

A point of interest for sportspersons and athletes! Some scientific studies have examined the beneficial effect of tart cherry juice on the post-exercise recovery process.

An improvement in sleep quantity and quality has also been documented in athletes who drink two servings of the juice per day. So here’s a new ally you can keep in the fridge if you’re planning any major sporting challenges in the near future!

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Interesting. Personally, I think I’ll continue to refresh myself with my recipe for healthy iced tea while treating myself to tart cherry shooters… so that I can test the effects on the post-exercise recovery process. We shall see.

Where are these products sold?

At several grocery stores across Quebec and online on the company’s website.
Bon appétitski!

Mériane AKA Madame

Xxx