"Light" grape juice vs. Diluting down the regula

amother

OP ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:24 pm

we've always bought the light kedem grape juice. husband doesn't want the extra calories of the regular with all the cups necessary for kiddush and havdallah especially over yom tovs too.

someone told us we're wasting money buying the light stuff and just to buy the regular stuff and dilute it down with water. I've been making a 50/50 batch. the light stuff has a chemical taste that's kind of gross, and the diluted version of the regular juice tastes weaker but doesn't have a chemical taste.

anyone else do this?

amother

Blueberry ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:30 pm

There's sweetener added to the light grape juice. Acesulfame Potassium.

We also add water to our grape juice instead of buying light. Doesn't make sense to pay for extra water plus chemicals.

amother

↑ Blueberry ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:32 pm

amother OP wrote:

It might be problematic to use grape juice watered down 50/50 for kiddush. You can only water it down a certain amount.

ittsamother

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:33 pm

Did you check what percentage you can dilute it down so that it would still be halachically considered ok to make kiddush on? I assumed that when they make light grape juice they have that percentage in mind. Could be 50/50 is ok too, just curious if you checked?

ETA, sorry, just saw I cross-posted with Blueberry : )

Last edited by ittsamother on Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:48 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Amaranthus

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:34 pm

We use about regular 80% and 20% water.
It does not make sense to pay extra for water.

amother

Canary ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:34 pm

amother Blueberry wrote:

It might be problematic to use grape juice watered down 50/50 for kiddush. You can only water it down a certain amount.

AFAIK you can only add a sixth of water halachicly.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:35 pm

ittsamother wrote:

amother Blueberry wrote:

It might be problematic to use grape juice watered down 50/50 for kiddush. You can only water it down a certain amount.

if you compare the labels for the kedem regular and light, the light is less than 50% of both the calories and sugar content. so they appear to be diluting it down at less than 50%. based on that, you'd think I'm safe at diluting it down 50/50, no?

amother

Sage

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:37 pm

You have to ask how much water you can add to regular grape juice and still use it for kiddush. Just for drinking or for the kids it’s obviously a good idea.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:38 pm

amother Canary wrote:

AFAIK you can only add a sixth of water halachicly.

how is kedem diluting the regular stuff down to get halachically okay grape juice with less than 50% of the calories and sugar content?

write4right

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:39 pm

Regular is concentrated. So can dilute it more halachikly. Compare to the taste of fresh Israeli grape juice.

momof2+?

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:41 pm

By adding sweetener. It makes the calories and sugar content less but still taste sweet.
I was replying to the post 2 above me.

Last edited by momof2+? on Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Cobalt

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:41 pm

You’re not paying extra for water. They use different grapes for each. Diluted regular grape juice doesn’t taste remotely like the kedem light.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:43 pm

momof2+? wrote:

By adding sweetener. It makes the calories and sugar content less but still taste sweet.

where is my math wrong? why isn't the dilution ratio equal to the ratio of the calories and sugar?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:44 pm

amother Cobalt wrote:

You’re not paying extra for water. They use different grapes for each. Diluted regular grape juice doesn’t taste remotely like the kedem light.

or maybe the kedem light tastes very different because of the chemicals?

do you have a source that says it's different grapes?

amother

↑ Canary

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:44 pm

amother OP wrote:

how is kedem diluting the regular stuff down to get halachically okay grape juice with less than 50% of the calories and sugar content?

You know for sure that Kedem light is diluted 50/50? Somehow doubt it, could be a different recipe with sweetner/sugar or different grapes.

amother

Amethyst

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:45 pm

Afaik the light has artificial sweetener. We don't buy things with that so I just water a little as needed.

amother

Midnight ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:50 pm

amother Cobalt wrote:

You’re not paying extra for water. They use different grapes for each. Diluted regular grape juice doesn’t taste remotely like the kedem light.

You're absolutely paying for water. Read the ingredients.
they both say Concord grape juice.. meaning they both use Concord grapes. The artificial sweetener changes the taste

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:50 pm

amother Canary wrote:

You know for sure that Kedem light is diluted 50/50? Somehow doubt it, could be a different recipe with sweetner/sugar or different grapes.

no, I don't know for sure, but I've heard it's diluted. and I've never heard a specific number. but if it's just diluted anyone can do the math themselves.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 8:52 pm

amother Midnight wrote:

You're absolutely paying for water. Read the ingredients.
they both say Concord grape juice.. meaning they both use Concord grapes. The artificial sweetener changes the taste

good point. this shuts down the "different grapes" talk.

amother

↑ Blueberry ↓

Sat, Nov 02 2024, 9:08 pm

The regular has grape juice and grape juice from concentrate which has water in it. The lite has water added to it as a separate ingredient.