Stiftung Warentest Hardly any multivitamin juices

Stiftung Warentest: Only a multivitamin juice was able to achieve a grade of "very good" in a comparative study

25/02/2012

Parents want to do something good for their children and ensure that they are sufficiently supplied with vitamins and minerals. Therefore, many resort to multivitamin juice, because advertising suggests that the juices are „a contribution to health“. The consumer organization „Stiftung Warentest“ has tested a total of 22 fruit juices. Only a vitamin juice achieved the predicate „very well“. Only in rare cases actually high-quality fruit juice was contained.

The multivitamin juices are supposed to „to strengthen the health of young and old“, one way or another, the manufacturers praise their juices. On the packaging shine many colorful fruit varieties and slogans like „with vital vitamins“ mediate, consumers drink a healthy product to strengthen the immune system. Stiftung Warentest has analyzed 22 commercially available vitamin juices and analyzed the results in the laboratory. Only one drink was able to test the grade „very well“ to reach. For this, eight received censorship „sufficient“ or „inadequate“. Thus, the reality with most fruit juice drinks looks pretty disappointing.

Results of the investigation „Multi-disappointing“
„Multi-Disappointing“, The experts of the foundation summarize the fruit juice rating. Although the packaging looks appetizing and tasty fresh fruits are pictured, most are not as healthy as they suggest. Of the juices studied, only three could convince. Test winner was the expensive organic product „11 plus 11“ of the manufacturer „Rabenhorst“. The juices are preferably distributed only in health food stores and health food shops and cost 3.99 euros per juice bottle. The Rabenhorst juice is the only one that is produced from direct juices and therefore one „especially fruity taste“ leads. The multi-juice was the only product the grade „very well“. In second and third place the juices made it „Amecke intense multivitamin“ for 1.69 euros and the fruit star „Multivitamin juice from Netto Marken-Discount“ for only 95 cents per bottle.

Hardly any fruit, but aromas
The main focus of the testers was on the ingredients and the specific compositions. It is conveyed that the juices are full of exotic fruits. For most varieties, however, only very small quantities were used in the manufacturing process. The main ingredients are apples and oranges. According to the evaluations of the foundation, six multi-juices did not have sufficient quantities. The following products therefore only reached one „inadequate“: Albi, Rauch, Kaiser's Tengelmann, Bauer, Bari and the Red Multi from Edeka. With the juice of Bari, the experts could detect almost no fruit flavors in the laboratory. Even in the taste test Bari could not convince: He tasted the testers neither „fruity-exotic“, but fell off by a musty taste paired with a malt bag of „old fruits“ on. Some juice companies use only fruit juice concentrates and do not add the required flavors when re-diluting them. The name „fruit juice“ is misleading under these circumstances and not lawful under the Foodstuffs Regulation.

Overly many synthetically produced vitamins
Not at all healthy are synthetically produced vitamins. Many studies have recently indicated that high doses of artificial vitamins may actually damage one's health. The producers, however, added large quantities of artificial vitamins to the juices. In some cases, the quantities were even higher than indicated on the labels. For some products, the proportion exceeded three times as described. According to Stiftung Warentest, consumers can hardly rely on manufacturers' declarations. Because an excessive intake of vitamins can damage the body, the experts recommend at most a glass, because most foods are already rich in vitamins already included. For this reason, these juices are hardly suitable as a thirst quencher, unless they are mixed with water to Schorle. Remains as a conclusion: If you want to eat a healthy diet, it is best to go straight to fresh fruits or squeezed out a fruit juice. An unhealthy diet can not be achieved with artificially added vitamins. All results in the overview are in the journal „test“ published in issue 3/2012 of the Consumer Initiative. (Sb)

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Picture: Rainer Sturm