Bite of the Best

What it is: The juice from 2.5 pounds tangerines per 15.2-ounce bottle How it comes: A 15.2-ounce and 1-liter bottle Where it is: In the refrigerated produce or juice section, when tangerines are available (check www.sunkistnaturals.com for locations) Who it's for: Juice lovers Suggested retail price: $2.79; $3.99 Nutrition notes: This 100 percent juice contains 100 calories, 420 milligrams potassium and is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C Category: Fabulous Food - Beverage bests

Bonnie: With one taste of this sweet nectar I was hooked on 100 percent pure tangerine juice. It’s not from concentrate; in fact it takes 2.5 pounds of fresh tangerines to make the juice for one 15.2-ounce bottle. The delicious result is rich in vitamins A and C and potassium. And like the rest of the Sunkist Naturals line, it contains no preservatives, no artificial anything. I like that.

It’s my favorite of the Sunkist Naturals line, but — I’m sorry to share — the one that’s the least available. I’ve been told it will be on shelves again in May, when tangerines are in season in Florida. So keep your eyes open for it – as it’s worth the hunt. Its sweet flavor reminds me eating a perfectly ripe Pixie tangerines on shelves now.

Second favorite? The 100 percent Valencia orange—rich in vitamin C and potassium. The others are fine, but in most the primary ingredient is not the eponymous juice, but apple juice concentrate followed by banana puree. I prefer drinking namesake juices. That, and I don’t like bananas. It’s true: Bananas are one of the only foods I don’t eat.

I have to add that the Glorious Greens juice that the boys like reminds me of Catherine Banning (played by Renee Russo) in ”The Thomas Crown Affair,” starting her day drinking her green health drink glop.

Bryan: You know that feeling you have when you’re done with a workout at the gym? That feeling like you’ve just done something good for your body… that feeling of health. That’s the sensation I got when I finished drinking my first Sunkist Natural (which happened to be Glorious Greens – an apple, kiwi, greens blend that tasted like I imagine the fountain of youth feels).

Sunkist has taken a large step forward with the release of its premium smoothie and juice line, Sunkist Naturals. These juices are a powerful blast of fruit flavor while being overwhelmingly nutritious. Sunkist Naturals are certainly a healthy alternative to sugared beverages. The line uses a selection of premium fruits from small, regional farms; quality fruits like Marion blackberries and Valencia oranges that result in a truly better-tasting juice. Sunkist Naturals will serve as a fantastic addition to any healthy regimen. They are incredibly rich in vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients without having any additives or preservatives.

While there are a number of great choices to pick from – the nine varieties include Strawberry Dream, Golden Mango, Valencia Orange, Berry Blue Bountiful, Glorious Greens, Orange Cream, Sunshine Carrot, Berry Cherry bountiful and 100 Percent tangerine – I have already found my faves in the glorious greens and Golden Mango flavors. Glorious Greens is a powerful nutritious combo of apple, kiwi and 15 essential greens, including wheat grass, flax seed and green tea. It’s rich in heart-healthy omega 3 and absolutely delicious. Golden Mango is an unctuous blend of Alphonso mangoes and passion fruit juice that’s high in antioxidants, vitamins A and C.

One of my new routines is a granola bar and a Sunkist Natural — a great breakfast or snack choice anytime of day! Definitely give these a try.

Eric: It is unfortunate that we live in an age where any item of food we desire (aside from the dodo egg) is attainable, for most of us, within a 15-minute drive. I live in New England, and it scares me to think that if I have the craving to eat plums or heirloom tomatoes in the dead of winter, I can. That’s simply unnatural. Farm activist Wendell Berry teaches, “How we eat determines to a considerable extent how the world is used.” Keeping that in mind, I would like to think that Sunkist, with its new line of “Naturals,” is helping to take us a step forward.

The fact that Sunkist is a cooperative of small family-owned and regional farms only helps me to realize the thought process behind producing its new line of Naturals. They have access to the freshest seasonal fruit, the equipment to flash pasteurize and cold fill (for quality) and the distribution channels to deliver to every corner of the country. The end product is an amazing variety of natural juices and smoothies that are available on a seasonal basis.