{"id":5002,"date":"2026-07-20T16:09:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T16:09:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=5002"},"modified":"2026-07-20T16:09:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T16:09:44","slug":"taste-off-ranking-12-pineapple-juice-brands-from-refreshing-to-overcooked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=5002","title":{"rendered":"Taste-Off: Ranking 12 pineapple juice brands from refreshing to overcooked"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Of all the tropical juices \u2014 mango, papaya, guava, and passion fruit \u2014 the most versatile and widely available is pineapple. Sweet, tart, citrusy and golden yellow, pineapple juice is delicious straight up and is a go-to for cocktails and mocktails.<\/p>\n

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With so many choices on store shelves \u2014 including some priced at more than $10 a quart \u2014 we decided to round up bottles, cans and jars for a taste test. We found a few options in the refrigerated section, but most were located on the shelf-stable juice aisle.<\/p>\n

Among the things we learned\u00a0is that\u00a0all but a few pineapple juices are made from concentrate, and the less expensive brands tend to contain added ascorbic acid or pectin.<\/p>\n

A quick note for those who reach for pineapple juice because it contains bromelain: Only juices that are cold-pressed and high-pressure processed (HPP) retain that compound, as traditional heat pasteurization deactivates it. Look for \u201ccold-pressed\u201d and \u201cHPP\u201d on the label.<\/p>\n

The flavor of pineapple juice varies depending on the type and ripeness of the fruit and how long it is heated during the canning process. The best pineapple for canning is the MD2, a super-sweet, low-acid variety commonly grown in Costa Rica, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and the Philippines. Maui Gold pineapples from Hawaii share these same flavor notes.<\/p>\n

Good pineapple juice is golden yellow and velvety smooth. It is always sweet, but it also has a bright punch of acidity that livens the flavor, making each sip refreshing and thirst-quenching.<\/p>\n

Bad pineapple juice tastes like old, stewed pineapple or is so overwhelmed with added acidic ingredients that it tastes sour. The worst are brown, cloying liquids that are so overcooked they taste like baby food.<\/p>\n

Here are details on the bright, sunshine-in-a-glass pineapple juices, as well as the murky brown juices to leave on the shelf. Nutrition information refers to an 8-ounce serving.<\/p>\n

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Lakewood Organic Pure Pineapple Juice<\/h4>\n

This tastes like a slice of super-ripe, extra-sweet pineapple. It\u2019s fresh and sweet and has enough pineapple pulp to provide a smooth mouthfeel. 130 calories, 5 milligrams sodium, 31 grams sugar. $10.79 for a quart at Whole Foods. (4 stars)<\/p>\n

Renew Purely Organic Pineapple<\/h4>\n

This extra-viscous juice uses both fresh-pressed juice and expertly processed concentrate to deliver a blast of pineapple flavor and a luscious balance of sweetness and acidity. 130 calories, 5 milligrams sodium, 26 grams sugar. $8.99 for a quart at Safeway. (4 stars)<\/p>\n

RW Knudsen Organic Just Pineapple<\/h4>\n

While fresh and bright, this juice smells and tastes very much like apple juice. Using slightly riper pineapple would push this juice to the top. 130 calories, 10 milligrams sodium, 25 grams sugar. $6.49 for a quart at Whole Foods. (3 1\/2 stars)<\/p>\n

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Trader Joe\u2019s Pineapple Juice<\/h4>\n

Those looking for a nice juice for cocktails will appreciate this minimally sweet option found in the refrigerator section. It\u2019s beautiful in the glass and a solid choice. 120 calories, 0 milligrams sodium, 28 grams sugar, 1 gram protein. $5.99 for a 52-ounce carton. (3 stars)<\/p>\n

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Raley\u2019s Pineapple Juice<\/h4>\n

For a budget-priced, fully pasteurized juice, this is OK. It has a distinctly cooked flavor but still delivers an enjoyable blast of pineapple. 130 calories, 30 milligrams sodium, 33 grams sugar. $6.89 for 64 ounces. (2 1\/2 stars)<\/p>\n

Dole 100% Juice Pineapple<\/h4>\n

This iconic juice has a huge pineapple aroma and flavor, but the container is a serious letdown. If left in an open can overnight, the flavor turns tinny and unpleasant. 132 calories, 0 milligrams sodium, 32 grams sugar. $4.99 for a six-pack of 6-ounce cans. (2 stars)<\/p>\n

Trader Joe\u2019s Cold-Pressed Pineapple Juice<\/h4>\n

Fans of fresh pineapple may appreciate this, as it tastes like freshly sliced fruit. Sadly, it also has an earthy note, as if the peels weren\u2019t fully removed before pressing. 120 calories, 0 milligrams sodium, 27 grams sugar, 1 gram protein. $3.49 for 12 ounces. (2 stars)<\/p>\n

Simply Pineapple Juice Drink<\/h4>\n

Calling this pineapple juice is misleading. It\u2019s enjoyable, but it\u2019s a juice blend, and pineapple isn\u2019t even the dominant flavor. 90 calories, 15 milligrams sodium, 22 grams sugar. $2.99 for 52 ounces at Target. (1 1\/2 stars)<\/p>\n

Trader Joe\u2019s 100% Pineapple Juice<\/h4>\n

Love the look of these cans, but save this for those who aren\u2019t sure they actually like pineapple. It\u2019s so watery that it serves more as a sweetener than as true pineapple juice. 110 calories, 35 milligrams sodium, 25 grams sugar. $3.99 for four 8.45-ounce cans. (1 star)<\/p>\n

Signature Select\u00a0\u00a0100 %\u00a0Juice\u00a0\u00a0Pineapple<\/h4>\n

As a breakfast juice, this overprocessed product is a poor choice, but it would be OK to use in punch. 130 calories, 30 milligrams sodium, 32 grams sugar. $3.79 for 64 ounces at Safeway. (1 star)<\/p>\n

Langers Pineapple Juice<\/h4>\n

What a disappointing juice. This murky pour is decidedly brown and so heavily doctored with vitamin C and pectin that the flavor of pineapple is barely detectable. 130 calories, 15 milligrams sodium, 30 grams sugar. $5.99 for 64 ounces at Safeway. (1\/2 star)<\/p>\n

Market Pantry Pineapple Juice<\/h4>\n

Not only is this overcooked, but it also tastes as though it was made with old, nearly rotten fruit. 130 calories, 30 milligrams sodium, 33 grams sugar. $4.49 for 64 ounces at Target. (no stars)<\/p>\n

Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-Off columns at\u00a0www.mercurynews.com\/tag\/taste-off.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Here are details on the bright, sunshine-in-a-glass pineapple juices, as well as the murky brown juices to leave on the shelf<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5001,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-things-to-do"],"yoast_head":"\nTaste-Off: Ranking 12 pineapple juice brands from refreshing to overcooked - Next City Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=5002\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Taste-Off: Ranking 12 pineapple juice brands from refreshing to overcooked - Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Here are details on the bright, sunshine-in-a-glass pineapple juices, as well as the murky brown juices to leave on the shelf\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=5002\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-20T16:09:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=5002#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=5002\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b\"},\"headline\":\"Taste-Off: Ranking 12 pineapple juice brands from refreshing to overcooked\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-20T16:09:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=5002\"},\"wordCount\":879,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=5002#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/1c2506279f90893117efb762a79b92a2.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Things To Do\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=5002#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=5002\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=5002\",\"name\":\"Taste-Off: Ranking 12 pineapple juice brands from refreshing to overcooked - 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