The Awful Reason Why I Stopped Buying Juice Boxes

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A patient of mine noticed a green slime in his straw that he used to suck on a Juicy Juice box, so they cut open the juice box and came to my ER with it. They were shocked at what they saw.

They found a moldy green slime in a juice box that was unexpired. The slime was attached to the edges and we found out that green slime in Capri Sun juice boxes was actually nothing new on the market. The slime is created if air is leaking into the box, which makes the sugars ferment.

The slime in kids’ juice boxes grows even more easily because these products don’t have preservatives. Air can leak from a puncture so tiny that it doesn’t cause leaking of the juice, but instead lets air in.

Fortunately, this slime is not dangerous (that much), but it surely grosses people out. However, my recommendation to people is to reduce consuming of juice from juice boxes, because they are rich with bad sugar and calories and don’t promote health. They can be a “gateway drug” to other junk food and sweets. The sugar causes release of natural opiates and then the body wants some more. The same happens with food high on fat and salt. This is the reason why people become addicted to junk food like potato chips, ice creams, hamburgers etc.

The more sugar children ingest the more they will crave for another juice box or fast food. When they have developed their sweet tooth their cravings will increase and they will become uninterested in dinners and healthy snacks. And, that’s not all. Too much juice from juice boxes (which means too much sugar) can cause flatulence, diarrhea or tooth decay. Just don’t give them to your kids.

Here is what the American Academy of Pediatrics says in context of juice boxes.

• Infants younger than 6 months should never consume juice, unless the doctor says so. If the infant has constipation you can occasionally give it juice.
• Children between the age of 6 months and 6 years have no nutritional benefit from juices. Better give them real fruit which is rich in different nutrients and fiber.
• If you let your kids drink juice from juice boxes, limit the intake to 4 to 6 oz/d for children 1 to 6 years old and 8 to 12 oz or 2 servings per day for children 7 to 18 years old.
• Never give them unpasteurized juice.

We’ve all bought our kids juice boxes, especially for their birthday parties. They keep the kids happy and they are convenient, and they are definitely healthier than soda. But, overall they are not healthy at all and you can never tell if the juice box is moldy unless you cut it open. So, it is better to teach your kids to drink water whenever they crave for liquids and try to get them used to homemade juices.
Sincere thanks to the patient for the juice box photography and the permission for me to publish this story.