Washington-based co-op’s juice contains less sugar, more fiber

Real fruit juice has become demonized as part of the war on sugar and childhood obesity.

Tree Top, a 1,300-member, grower-owned cooperative based in Washington apple country, is hoping to change that with Tree Top Trim.

Trim, which is 50 percent fruit juice, has half the calories and sugar of regular fruit juice, plus 3 grams of added fiber for a feeling of fullness.

Each 8-ounce serving contains 60 calories and 10 or 11 grams of sugar, instead of 120 calories and 26 grams of sugar in regular Tree Top apple juice.

Sold in 46-ounce plastic jugs, it’s available in strawberry kiwi, mango peach and pomegranate blackberry flavors.

But Trim isn’t just watered-down juice. It also contains sucralose, commonly known as Splenda, chromium to “promote a healthy metabolism” and L-carnitine to “help you burn fat.”

Our Good Life team of picky testers found the juice to be sufficiently tasty and not too sweet, definitely worth a try.

Look for Trim at your local Albertsons. Learn more at www.TreeTop.com.

Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.