Many people think fruit juice is a healthy choice, but the evidence is mounting that juice’s health impact is similar to that of other sugary beverages. A recent study adds to the evidence, suggesting that daily fruit juice drinkers had significantly higher central systolic blood pressure than those who consumed fruit juice rarely or occasionally. It was a small observational study and didn’t look at overall sugar intake, but the findings provide insight for more rigorous research. (Appetite, 84; Jan 2015)
Do you think fruit juice is healthful?
Similar to soda and other sweetened beverages, fruit juice gives your body a huge amount of sugar to process at once, and liquid calories are not as filling as whole foods. Also, juicing removes more than just the fiber (health-promoting substances, polyphenols, are bound to the fiber). Your best bet? Skip the juice and choose whole fruit instead.
Do you think fruit juice is natural?
Do you think juice is natural? Not really (when would you eat 6 oranges, without their fiber, in one sitting); read more on the “naturalness” of juice in this great article by Travis Saunders. Another investigation looking into “premium” orange juice by CBC Marketplace (see video below) showed that these juices are actually highly processed, and are often stored on shelves for months. Most companies add engineered “flavour packs” to the juice to improve the taste after the processing and storage.
More Reading:
- Nobody Can Prove That Cold-Pressed Juice Is Better for You (Wired, April 2015)
- Habitual intake of fruit juice predicts central blood pressure (Appetite, January 2015)
- Fruit Juice Vs. Soda? Both Beverages Pack In Sugar, Health Risks (NPR Health)
- Fruit juice: just another sugary drink? (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology)
- The Rise and Fall of Orange Juice as a Health Drink
- Are there health benefits to juicing? (Jill Parnell, PhD, No Baloney Blog)
- Juicing: Healthy Habit or Blood Sugar Bomb?
- Do you think fruit juice is healthy & natural? (Travis Saunders, PhD,Obesity Panacea)
