A while ago I introduced and shared with you a great source of the powerful Acai berry in an all natural smoothie from Arthur’s Fresh Company.
Arthur’s Fresh Company has been farming and making juices naturally, sine 1893! The company started as a small family run business out of Goderich, Ontario. The company prides itself on processing only the freshest, highest quality ingredients, with their ultra gentle processing system that maximizes both the nutrients and fresh tastes in their products. The company has an excellent reputation where true “health food” and consistent high-quality is concerned. However, the catch is that so far their products are only available in Canada.
Well aside from the amazing Acai Plus Smoothie, Arthur’s also makes many other fruit and vegetable combinations. Thus in this review I wanted to introduce you to and share with you 4 other varieties that are all equally delicious as they are nutritious!
In total Arthur’s has 8 varieties of smoothies and today I will share with you information about the following four: Mango Plus, Green Energy, Strawberry Rainforest and Pom Plus. You can read my review on the Acai Plus from before and perhaps in the future I will also review the Carrot Energizer, Very Berry and Goji Plus.
In terms of consistency, the smoothies are all very smooth and a little thicker. After all they are smoothies, so you cannot expect a juice like consistency.
In terms of taste the Mango Plus is exceptional as it really tastes like fresh mangoes. The Strawberry Rainforest is great, but not one of my favorites. The Pom Plus is very refreshing and tastes very much like one would expect from a fresh pomegranate. Finally, I most strongly recommend the Green Energy as it offers the most value for the price, it tastes great and has probably the highest nutritional density that most of us would need, plus it combines ingredients that may not be easy for some to find and/or combine.
Finally, I always encourage home made smoothies, as then you have full control of using organic produce and what you put in and how you prepare it, but if one is on the go, these are an excellent natural and healthy option to reach for.
| Mango Plus Ingredients
Apple Juice Mango Purée Banana Purée Lemon or Lime Juice |
Green Energy Ingredients
Apple Juice Banana Purée Passion fruit Juice Plum Purée Lemon Juice Spirulina Powder Flax Seed Oil Barley Grass Powder Wheat Grass Powder |
Strawberry Rainforest Ingredients
Apple Juice Berry Purée Blend (Strawberry, Acai, Blueberry, Blackberry, Boysenberry) Banana Purée Lemon or Lime Juice |
Pom Plus Ingredients
Pomegranate Juice Apple Juice Banana Purée Blackcurrant Purée Lemon or Lime Juice |
| Nutritional Information (per 325mL)
180 Calories 0 g Fat 1g Protein 45 g Carbohydrate (37 g Sugar) 3 g Fiber 520 mg Potassium 5 mg Sodium 0 mg Cholesterol |
Nutritional Information (per 325mL)
230 Calories 0.8 g Fat 2 g Protein 53 g Carbohydrate (39 g Sugar) 3 g Fiber 780 mg Potassium 15 mg Sodium 0 mg Cholesterol |
Nutritional Information (per 325mL)
190 Calories 1.5 g Fat 1 g Protein 43 g Carbohydrate (36 g Sugar) 3 g Fiber 590 mg Potassium 0 mg Sodium 0 mg Cholesterol |
Nutritional Information (per 325mL)
220 Calories 0 g Fat 1 g Protein 54 g Carbohydrate (33 g Sugar) 1 g Fiber 790 mg Potassium 25 mg Sodium 0 mg Cholesterol |
| Vitamins & Minerals
20% Vitamin A 8% Vitamin B2 6% Vitamin B3 30% Vitamin B6 50% Vitamin C 15% Vitamin E 140% Folate 6% Pantothenate 15% Magnesium 2% Calcium 2% Iron 6% Zinc |
Vitamins & Minerals
10% Vitamin A 15% Vitamin B2 10% Vitamin B3 35% Vitamin B6 90% Vitamin B12 25% Vitamin C 80% Folate 15% Pantothenate 20% Magnesium 8% Phosphorus 2% Calcium 15% Iron 10% Zinc |
Vitamins & Minerals
2% Vitamin A 2% Vitamin B1 10% Vitamin B2 6% Vitamin B3 25% Vitamin B6 70% Vitamin C 15% Folate 30% Biotin 6% Pantothenate 15% Magnesium 100% Manganese 4% Phosphorus 2% Calcium |
Vitamins & Minerals
2% Vitamin A 8% Vitamin B2 6% Vitamin B3 15% Vitamin B6 90% Vitamin B12 45% Vitamin C 15% Vitamin K 10% Folate 8% Pantothenate 20% Magnesium 35% Manganese 4% Phosphorus 6% Calcium |
Packaging
The smoothies come in single serving 325mL or 900mL recyclable plastic bottles, with a screw on cap.
Price (as of this posting)
- Around $1.99 CDN for the 325mL bottles
- Around $5.99 CDN for the 900mL bottles (Sometimes on sale 3 for $10)
Availability
- In Canada only at local grocery and health food stores.
- For a Canadian location near you, see Arthur’s site under the store locator.
The Good
- Delicious taste
- Refreshing taste
- Easy and convenient way to incorporate various fruits together for busy people
- All natural
- No artificial colors
- No artificial flavors
- No artificial preservatives
- Ingredients and nutritional information easily found on product label
- Contains an excellent mix of vitamins and minerals
- Contains 2 ½ servings of fruits/vegetables per serving
- Fair Price based on ingredients used
The Bad
- Nothing – it is a really great product and there is a taste that will suit any one’s taste buds
- The only improvement for this product that I can think of, would be to use organic fruits and vegetables
10 OUT OF 10
About the author:Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN - is a certified holistic nutritionist, biologist, educator, writer, researcher and speaker in the areas of health, science and holistic wellness. She is a nutritional science expert and her teaching and writing focus on natural, wholesome, plant-based and organic nutrition to achieve optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow Evita Ochel on Twitter.
28 Comments to “Review: Arthur’s Natural Fruit Smoothies”
Wow! What a great breakdown! Thank you for this!
Hi Mark,
You are welcome. Many times I find people choose less healthy options, simply because they are not aware that really healthy options exist.
Do you know of something similar to this that is available in the US on Amazon.com? I would love to have this type of product around the house.
Hi David!
An equally delicious and nutritious version of these type of smoothies is made by Blothouse Farms http://www.bolthouse.com/consumer_home.html
They are out of California, so they easily cater to all over the US and even all over Canada.
You can check out their store locator here:
http://www.bolthouse.com/store_locator.html
Amazon won’t sell them because they have to be refrigerated, but I am sure they will be easy to find at your local grocery store.
Like I said, they are equally as good and in the future I will do a write up on them too! They have even more amazing flavor combinations and all natural :)
I’m not familiar with Spirulina Powder…but my son likes to drink these drinks prior to hockey..every other ingredient I’m familiar with. Is this safe for my son,(he’s 13 and weighs 105lbs and is very active in sports) I’ve heard horror stories about other energy drinks, which I know are not natural supplements…Could you shed some light on this please..??
@ KIM – Hi Kim and thank you for asking a very important question.
You are so right about being weary of the energy drinks out there. I know many athlete’s and even people in the general population swear by them, but these are not things that should be put in our bodies if we want our bodies functioning well and healthy. There are so many artificial compounds in them, not to mention ingredients that force our bodies into unnatural states. This puts a huge strain on our heart, not to mention other organs like the liver where the detoxification of that chemical soup is concerned.
With Arthur’s smoothies you have nothing to worry about. These are not much different than if you took a bunch of fruits and vegetables in your home kitchen and blended them together into a smoothie. (In fact consider that, if he uses them that much, it may be way cheaper for you :)
Anyway, the spirulina is actually an amazing food compound. Some people call it an algae, some an ancient bacteria. They are microscopic creatures either way, that are found in certain waters – mostly tropical kind.
They are super, super nutritious and totally safe to consume. They are loaded with protein and numerous vitamins and minerals, as well as other health promoting compounds, including immune boosting ones.
Spirulina is available today in powder or tablet, and is considered a super-food.
If you are interested in learning more about this food source, here is a great resource:
http://www.chlorellafactor.com/
And may I add one more thing, what an amazing mom you are for caring like this and looking deeper into what goes into your kids bodies! Way to go – we need more moms like you out there today :)
Are these smoothies safe to drink a few days after their expiry date if they have been stored in the fridge?
Hi Shannon
They should be fine, however, when something that is perishable is past its expiry date, one should examine the product before consuming in a clear glass, note any clumping or white particles floating around. And take a “tester” sip – this means place the product in your mouth, but don’t swallow. If it tastes off, or especially bitter or sour, spit out the product and throw it away. These are most common ways to tell that it has gone bad.
If it has never been opened, in the fridge and a couple days or so after expiry, they should be fine. But if they have been opened and sitting in the fridge for a few days, or past expiry, they have a higher chance of going bad.
In the end, it is impossible to tell for sure, as there will be slight variations in how the product was made – one bottle may last say 6 days, another 7 days. So checking it out carefully before consuming, is always the safest bet.
thanks Evita!
I am pregnant and there are warnings about drinking unpasteurized beverages due to passing on ecoli etc. I can not find, if labelled, if these drinks are, do you know if they are safe to drink during pregnancy?
Hali,
I read somewhere on their website that there are 2 types of pasteurization. One type of pasteurization (i think it was “flash type”) strips aways much of the nutrients found in the beverage and the other type was a more gradual one that doesn’t take away from the smoothie. Arthur’s uses the more gradual type in order to keep nutrients in the food. So, yes the beverage is pasteurized and I am sure it is safe for you to consume although I’m obviously no doctor.
My appologies if I was no help.
Nathaniel
Hi Hali,
I would almost 100% say Hali that these drinks are pasteurized. It is very rare for any bottled beverages today not to be pasteurized, hence why they also keep the shelf life they do.
The only foods typically not pasteurized that you would have to watch out for would be things like raw honey or raw milk, etc. Unless it says not pasteurized on a juice label, they most certainly are. Today companies would normally want to proudly proclaim that, as pasteurization typically kills a lot of the nutrients, but they still “have to” do it, if they are going to bottle the product and ensure some form of safety and shelf life.
Hi Nathaniel,
Thank you so much for sharing those facts too – always more additions can help :)
Hey I have a question.
Should i be worried about the carbohydrates in these Arthur Drinks?
There seems to be alot in there.
Hi Adam
No, when reading nutrition labels, the carb number really is no indicator of a healthy or not healthy item. There is no need to be counting carbs or anything else for that matter when we change over to eating real, wholesome, natural food in appropriate portions.
The use of these drinks in making them work for us not against us, depends on who uses them and when. If you are trying to lose weight, then your drink of choice should be water pretty much only. If you are going to drink this drink, it should be as a snack, not with a major meal, as then it may provide too many calories, not just carbs for the average person, eating the average diet.
In the end, all fruit has carbs, and when it comes to carbs it is not about the number amount that should raise a warning flag, but their source. For example 30grams of carbs from whole fruit, is not the same as 30grams of carbs from a fruit juice, or a doughnut.
Hey Evita,
Thank you for replying back to me, helpful advice! =)
Also just one more question, I read some of the ingrediants on the bottle and some say “Puree” and also “blend” and just juice.
What are the difference of the 3 as im not too sure.
like when it says pomegrante juice, is the skin in there too?
Thank you for your consideration,
Adam.
Hi Adam
Juice – is just the squeezed product, normally devoid of fiber, pure simple sugars
Blend – means a blend of juice, puree, different fruits, etc.
Puree – is normally keeping the fruit more whole with fiber
For the pomegranate example, no original skin as that I don’t think is palatable, and because pomegranates have so many seeds, normally companies squeeze out only the juice, therefore leaving out the fiber.
Hope this helps :)
Hey, very sorry but one least question, some ingrediants in arthur’s say apple juice or pare juice. Do they have the skin in the smoothie or JUST the juice?
Thank you again!
Adam
Hi Adam,
No problem, ask away, I am happy to help :)
I am not 100% as they do not claim, but normally it is just the fruit squeezed, no skin, no pulp, therefore a great reduction of fiber. But if you look at their ingredients, some say specifically juice, others puree. This can be a start to knowing that the juice is really sugar, puree maybe too, depends on how and what part of the fruit they are using.
Alright thanks for the helpful comments Evita!
And Evita I got 1 more question. What is healthier?
Arthur’s or Bolthouse?
Hi Adam,
When it comes to those two, they are pretty much the same. Bolthouse is American, Arthur’s is Canadian. As I am a proponent for local, depending on which country you are in, go with that one. Their lines are very similar. I think if I remember correctly when I had a few Bolthouse smoothies in the past, there was some advantage to Arthur’s, but overall very similar products.
This is why I normally say, go with those only perhaps when on the road, or on the go, when out and there is nothing better, the odd time. They are expensive generally speaking, and not a practical or economical regular option. In the end, the healthiest option is to make your own smoothies at home. A decent blender can cost you as little as $50 and you have the option of making various smoothies daily, and easily taking them with you on the go in appropriate containers.
Hey evita thanks for the reply, however you did mention that making your own smoothies is healthier but i looked on the arthurs website the FAQ and it compared to a smoothie u buy in store, your own smoothie and arthurs and arthurs is the same as making your own smoothie but your own smoothie is 10+ Essential nutrients and arthurs is 9-14. So wouldn’t they be the same? not sure lol. :P
Hi Adam,
Great point. You see if we step back we have to consider why Arthur’s would have certain information as they do on their site – think of what is their number one goal at the end of the day? To sell their product. So yes, of course, they have to present it in such a way that sounds like going with their product is the way to go. I don’t blame them, this is the number one tactic of marketing today. Make the customer feel that unless they have your product they are not being or doing things as best as can be.
If we step back and consider the truth, nothing beats a freshly made homemade product. Nothing. You get to make it using fresh fruits and vegetables, Arthur’s has to use a form of pasteurization to preserve it, and although they claim that it does not take away from the nutrition, nothing beats truly fresh.
Second of all, you get to work with ingredients of your choice, meaning the top quality organic fruits and veggies. Arthur’s does not use organic fruits and veggies.
By making it yourself, you are getting the complete goodness of live enzymes that have not been tampered with by any industrial process. Plus your product, unlike theirs, does not sit in a plastic bottle for days, or weeks.
This is why, yes, as a convenience product it is great, but not as an everyday, optimally healthy meal choice. Nothing replaces freshly made homemade goodness.
Cheers :)
These drinks seem to be a healthy choice> so why bottle it in plastic?
Hi Calvin,
That is a great point and question. My take on it is that the company will claim it is cheaper or safer this way, but in reality we should be able to choose and a glass bottle would be a great further step in the right direction for these drinks.
Why and how can Aurthurs Smoothies have 0% vitamin C? If they are made with that much fresh fruit it doesn’t make sense to me. On the Nutritional guide on the package it says 0% Vitamin C. Has it been extracted or does the vitamin C breakdown in the processing?
Hi Sondra
Great question, however to answer properly I would need to know which variety you are looking at, because when I reviewed the products mentioned above, they all had vitamin C in very good percentages (as I show in the tables above).
Yes, vitamin C is destroyed during the heating process (as is common during pasteurization), but according to what I learned about labelling laws, the products get tested in their original form so no matter what the nutrient levels like vitamin C would still be there.
We looked at the banana, strawberry and apple which our son gets at school. I also checked the mango one and it also said 0%. We had the Bolthouse mango that had almost 1300% vitamin c. I was baffled at the fact that it could possibly have 0% if the real fruit is used.
Hi Sondra,
Wow, well that is definitely an odd surprise. I just looked at Arthur’s official site and the Mango variety does indeed say 0% vitamin C!!!!
http://www.arthursfresh.com/en/mango.aspx
But when I reviewed it 3 years ago, it still had a vitamin C listing.
As for the strawberry-banana, same thing! As per their website:
http://www.arthursfresh.com/en/strawberry-banana.aspx
I have to say I am baffled and checked some of their other varieties and they all seem to say 0%. So you are right on, that it is very odd given how much fruit is there. There only seem two logical explanations therefore:
1. Some odd error on their part….which is hard to believe that it wouldn’t be caught and it appears what seems like on all their bottles?!
2. The more probable answer is as I hinted in the previous comment, that vitamin C is very heat sensitive, and the pasteurization processing “kills” it all off. And that either between 3 years ago when I did the review, the product and how it is processed has changed, or the labelling laws on this product have changed.
Either way, this is just another reason why nothing beats homemade. Homemade smoothies and juices are so easy to make if one has a blender and can be taken to school or work in bottles. This way you can pick the best organic fruits and veggies and know the product did not get ruined by heat or other processing, not to mention it did not sit in a plastic bottle for who knows how long.
All the best :)