Frozen concentrate or carton. Have you ever wondered which is better?

I would have guessed frozen concentrate, taking into account packaging and fuel use for distribution, but I would have been wrong.

In his Slate article Carton Vs. Canister, Brendon I. Koerner delves deep to compare the energy associated with processing and packaging of both types. Although he admits that your choice in orange juice will not save the world, the depth of his research is really fascinating (go read the full article).

“In the end, not-from-concentrate orange juice sold by the carton comes out slightly ahead of frozen OJ sold by the canister in terms of energy use. As a green consumer, your worst choice would be to buy juice that’s been rehydrated by the supplier, then placed in cartons (such as Minute Maid Original). If you prefer juice from concentrate, whether for the lower price or more Tang-y taste, it’s better to rehydrate it yourself.”

Figure in the harm pesticides cause to the environment and your health, and I think your best choice is to go with an organic not-from-concentrate juice. And if it’s in a plastic bottle, just skip it. You could also look into switching to juices made from local crops.