Today, Capri Sun launched a new line of juice drinks branded as "organic," now available at stores nationwide.
Four flavors -- fruit punch, tropical punch, apple and grape -- are each made with organic juice concentrates and without added sugars, artificial flavors or preservatives, and a rep for the brand told HuffPost in a statement that each drink contains a full serving of fruit.
But before you let your inner elementary school-kid health nut get too excited, take a breath and check out that nutrition label.
Capri Sun's original Tropical Punch flavor:
The original flavor has 15mg of sodium, 14g total carbohydrates and 13g sugars, for a total of 50 calories per juice pouch.
Capri Sun's new organic Tropical Punch flavor:
The new organic flavor has 20mg of sodium, 17g total carbohydrates and 16g of sugars, for a total of 70 calories per juice pouch.
Each flavor of the new organic juice drinks has more sodium, carbohydrates, sugars and calories than its original counterpart.
It's worth remembering that to be certified as organic, the food must come from farmers who don't use GMO crops, who preserve natural resources, care for their animals' welfare and separate organic food from the nonorganic foods on site, among other requirements.
But that doesn't mean it's a better choice, necessarily. A recent study by Stanford University found no discernible nutritional difference between organic and nonorganic foods, although that study has been met with criticism by consumer advocacy groups, other researchers, and parenting and environmental organizations.
Basically: Always read the label. Just because Capri Sun and the USDA slap the "certified organic" label on the box, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a more nutritious choice. (Though it may mean it's a better choice for the environment.)
