As I was grocery shopping today I spotted this new juice product line in the produce section at my Dillon’s store. It has been a hot day, especially after working out in the yard trimming hedges, and a cold fruity drink at only 20 calories per bottle, with zero added sugar sounded quite refreshing.  As I read the ingredients in large lettering on the bottle, I kind of glossed over turmeric being an ingredient. And to be honest, I never even looked at the ingredients below, in the smaller print, where ginger and black pepper were listed too. All I can say is it’s been a hot day, and the flavor fusion of lemon, pineapple and passion fruit sounded really good to me…

From the Suja Organic website:

Fills your heart and taste buds with happiness…

I’m going to have to beg to differ on this juice filling my heart and taste buds with happiness. They could have gotten it right with some of their ingredients, but with the addition of a few others such as turmeric and black pepper, they ruined it for me. With the first sip, the lemon, pineapple and passion fruit came out, but then the addition of turmeric, ginger and black pepper hit.

Some things are just not meant to be, and this juice is one of them.

Have you ever had a six year old daughter, being supervised by a mischievous nine year old brother make you something special to eat or drink?

And then it dawns on you the little prankster just got his revenge on you for taking away a game or something. And because you do not want to break your little girls heart, you just choke it down and then excuse yourself to go wash out your mouth.

That scenario is exactly what this drink made me think of.

If you are unfamiliar with turmeric,  it smells a bit like orange peel and ginger, and has an earthy taste a bit like cardamom. It is actually not too bad in some foods. But then they couple it with the slightly peppery taste of ginger and the sharp hot flavor of black pepper, you have just created a concoction that should never be added to a fruity drink. Not for any reason.

Nutritionally, there is nothing really good or bad about this product. But at $3.99 per 12 ounce bottle, your money would be better spent on a bottle of water in my opinion.

But who knows, you might actually enjoy the flavor of this bilge water.

I cannot recommend it.