Juice During Pregnancy: Pasteurized, Fresh-Squeezed, and Smoothies
What juice is safe while pregnant? Choose pasteurized juice or cider. How to read labels, juice bars, smoothies, and the CDC boil option for untreated juice.
If you’re into juicing, and you buy freshly squeezed juices, make sure they’re pasteurized.
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The short answer: Choose juice or cider that has been pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria. The CDC lists unpasteurized juice and cider as riskier choices during pregnancy. “Fresh-squeezed” describes how a drink was made, not whether it was treated for safety.
Can I drink pasteurized juice while pregnant?
Yes. Pasteurized juice is the option CDC and FDA point to. Juice that has been gently pasteurized or otherwise treated is safe to drink if the label says it was treated to kill harmful bacteria. A label that says “gently pasteurized” still has to say pasteurized or otherwise treated; “gentle” is not a separate safety category.
How can I check a bottled juice or cider?
Read the package for pasteurization or another treatment that kills harmful bacteria. The FDA explains that untreated packaged juice must carry a warning about possible harmful bacteria. Juice can be sold from either a refrigerator or a shelf, so location alone is not the answer.
If you already have unpasteurized juice or cider, the CDC's safer-choice table says to bring it to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking. If a product's processing is unclear, choose one you can verify.
What about juice made at a juice bar or farmers market?
Ask whether it was pasteurized or otherwise treated. The FDA notes that fresh-squeezed juice sold by the glass may be untreated and does not have to carry the warning label used on packaged untreated juice. Washing produce is still important, but it is not a way to establish that a finished juice was treated to kill bacteria.
Are smoothies different?
A smoothie can contain juice. FDA advises checking that the juice used in a smoothie is pasteurized and that fresh fruits are washed. The word “smoothie” alone does not tell you how its ingredients were handled. Ask about the juice ingredient when ordering one, especially if it is prepared on site.
What can PregNut's juice pages tell me?
The apple juice, orange juice, and raw grapefruit juice pages show nutrient amounts for reference foods. A name such as “canned” or “raw” in a nutrient database does not verify the processing or safety of the drink you buy. For other food sources of vitamin C, see our noncitrus vitamin C guide.
Common questions
What juice is safe while pregnant?
Pasteurized juice or cider, or juice that was otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria. CDC lists unpasteurized juice or cider as riskier and pasteurized juice or cider as safer. If you already have untreated juice, CDC says to bring it to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking.
How much prune juice while pregnant?
Neither CDC nor FDA sets a pregnancy-specific prune-juice amount. Use pasteurized juice, watch added sugar on the label, and ask your clinician if you are using prune juice for constipation—our fiber guide covers food options.
Sources: CDC safer food choices for pregnant women, FDA fruits, vegetables, and juices during pregnancy, and FDA juice safety. This guide is educational and does not replace prenatal care.