I have recently decided my new goal is to further lessen my caffeine & sugar intake. I am currently taking 4 to 5 cups of black tea with 2 tablespoons of white sugar per cup. A far cry from a few months ago when I was gulping down approximately 2 liters of coke everyday, with an occasional coffee from Starbucks.
I decided to adapt my tastebuds to orange juice. But I need the help of my Twitter & Facebook friends. As I have never drank orange juice ever since I can remember (we were an Ovaltine/Milo type of household), I needed something yummy, healthy, and available in our local groceries. The results were tied: Florida’s Natural & Del Monte’s freshly squeezed orange juice.
Del Monte was more “interesting.” The company have set up juicing stations in select supermarkets such as S&R, Shopwise, and Rustan’s. A retro-looking machine grabs the oranges & squeezes them one after the other. The juice is then poured into a plastic bottle & sealed.
Del Monte’s cost P299 for a 1 liter bottle. A bit pricey, and the absence of recyclable bottle options may scare the environmentalist in you, but it is the freshest option we’ve got. Aside from squeezing your own, of course.
Florida’s Natural is, on the other hand, pasteurized orange juice. It is cheaper, costing P274 for a 1.89 liter carton. And, the expiration date is almost 2 months after my purchase date. Although it did say on the label that it is best consumed 7 to 10 days after opening.
Taste-wise, there are very minimal differences. Del Monte’s taste more “citrus-y.” But your mileage may vary depending on the available fresh orange. For those who like the pulp, Florida’s Natural has a “pulp-ed” variety.
I finished a bottle of Del Monte in 2 days. And as I can’t see myself going to the grocery every couple of days to refill my supply, I may have to stock up more often on Florida’s Natural. I might need another ref too. But that’s another story.