Is Lemonade A Juice?- Central New York Debates Summer Drink

One simple question for you to answer- Is lemonade a juice? Central New Yorkers share their thoughts.

Apple juice, cranberry juice, grape juice.....all easy to answer whether or not they are a juice, it's in their name. But what about the ultimate summer time beverage lemonade?

What is considered a juice?

According to Wikipedia, juice is defined as the following:

"A drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as clam juice."

So with that logic, lemonade is squeezed from lemons no?

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Central New Yorkers Weigh In

Peter Naughton- "No, juice is 100% juice. Lemonade is a little juice but mostly water and sugar. If lemonade counts as juice, so does Kool-Aid. But they don't. Both practically and legally."

Lucy Barretta-Wheeler- "No. It’s a beverage, like ice tea"

Amy Preston- "It falls under the "juice" umbrella category. Fruit juice- the purest form of juice. Lemonade- it's own type. Koolaid- basically imitation juice."

Matthew Przybyla- "Lemonade is just lemon juice sweetened. So yes, it is a juice. If it’s powdered lemonade then it’s just a sour flavored water, like kool-aid is just flavored water with sugar. Soda is just flavored and colored sparkling water."

Catherine C Hatch- "Well... lets look at what Lemonade is made of? The Lemon juice of squeezed lemons, Sugar & Water. Recipes for Orange Juice call for oranges only. Edible Mosiac Ingredients for Grape juice is also literally just grapes – no added sugar, color, or preservatives – straight off the vine. In the case of fresh juices, you don’t need to be tempted to add sugar, you don’t need it when making Concord grape juice with vine-ripened grapes. Once you get to making tomato juice- other ingredients need adding to suit the palate... like salt & pepper, celery, chopped onion AND sugar. This is due to the acidic nature & flavor of tomatoes. Lemons have the same need to have sugar added to balance the tartness... but then - it is thinned with water. The thinning with water then makes it Lemonaid and not a juice."

What Are Your Thoughts?

Text us on our station app and let us know! Is lemonade a juice?