The Difference Between Tang Powdered Juice and The Real Thing

Tang is a fruit-flavored drink formulated by food scientist William A. Mitchell for the General Foods Corporation. Today, Tang is owned and manufactured by Kraft Foods. Since being developed in the 50s, Tang has become one of the most popular breakfast drinks in the American diet. Apart from the original tangerine flavor, Tang now comes in a variety of fruit flavors including Strawberry and Grape flavors. Other variation of this popular drink includes sugar-free Tang and vitamin enriched ones.

Tang’s Nutritional Value

Tang comes in 38 flavors. It’s sold in powder form and packaged in canisters or packets. Just one serving of Tang (about 2 tablespoons) contains 90 calories and 24 grams of carbohydrates from sugar. It has no fat, no protein. Vitamin enriched Tang gives 100% of your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C. It’s also enriched with vitamin A, vitamin B2 or riboflavin, B3 or niacin and B6. Tang also contains calcium for stronger bones and teeth.

Ironically, Tang only contains a measly 2% of real orange juice solids. Most of Tang’s flavor comes from a cocktail of food flavorings, sugars, and artificial flavors. Quite simply, Tang is not orange juice. But it does provide all the health benefits of orange juice.

Benefits of Drinking Tang

It’s Full of Essential Nutrients

As stated above, Tang contains more vitamins and minerals than your average orange juice. But that’s because the product is enriched with these nutrients. Without it, Tang is nothing more than a soft drink. Tang is high in vitamin C, a nutrient that protects from cell damage and boosts the immune system. It’s also packed with vitamin A that is important for sharp eyesight. This vitamin also boosts collagen in the body and aids in growth and development.

The B vitamins in Tang also promote better nerve function. Some B vitamins help boost the production of red blood cells. Calcium keeps the bones strong and dense. It also regulates blood pressure.

Disadvantages of Tang Juice

It’s Not 100% Fruit Juice

Freshly squeezed orange juice is derived from nature. That’s why it’s good for you. But Tang is chemically developed to mimic the real thing, not replace it. It’s literally full of chemicals, artificial flavorings, and food color to look and taste like orange juice.

It’s Full of Sugar

If you are a diabetic, better not drink Tang. This product is literally made up of sugar. If you check the label, the first on its list of ingredients is sugar. The second on the list is fructose, which is fruit sugar. If you check further down the list of ingredients, you will see Maltodextrin, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, and Neotame. These are all artificial sweeteners. In just an 8 oz. serving, Tang yields about 24 grams of sugar! That’s six teaspoon of sugar! Freshly squeezed orange juice does contain sugar but it’s nowhere near that amount.

It’s Will Make You Fat

Tang is like liquid calories. In a study published in Nutrition Research Reviews, there are over 40 studies related to obesity caused by drinking sugary beverages. The consumption of powdered fruit juices like Tang could lead to higher Body Mass Index. It could also lead to adiposity and weight gain. Source:/healthydietbase.com/