Find out why fruit juices, despite their fame, may not be the best choice for your health.
Fruit juice has always been considered a classic for a snack or a refreshing drink on a hot day. Who doesn’t love a glass of orange juice for breakfast or a sip of apple juice for a snack? They are easy to drink, have a pleasant taste and we like to think we are making a healthy choice. But is it really so? According to Angelo Verde, a renowned nutritionist, we may have to reconsider.
Fruit juices, explains the expert, can be divided into two main categories: those made with water and fruit and those made with fruit only. The first type usually contains only 30% fruit, the rest is water and added sugars. The second type, on the other hand, consisting exclusively of fruit, offers a few more vitamins. At first glance, you might think the latter kind is the healthier choice, but don’t be fooled: Green warns that both types have problems.
Should fruit juice be avoided?
When we look at the nutritional values of juices, regardless of the type, we find approx 11 grams of sugar per 100ml. This means that for every glass we drink, we take in about 22 grams of simple sugars. With just one glass we have already reached the half of the recommended daily amount of simple sugars.
Who are they, and why should we avoid simple sugars? The most common are the glucose and the fructose: are composed of monosaccharides or disaccharides, which are simple forms of sugar that your body can use quickly for energy. However, excessive intake of simple sugars can lead to a spike in blood sugar, causing a sudden increase and subsequent decrease in energy. Long-term, excessive intake of simple sugars is associated with health problems such asobesityil type 2 diabetes e heart disease.
In addition to the high sugar content, fruit juices cause us to miss out on the benefits of other important components of fruit. They don’t supply us with the fiberscrucial for the health of our intestines, and we lose many of the vitamins that remain in the fruit pulp.
Ultimately, the suggestion is to choose a whole fruit instead of a juice. Not only will it provide us with fiber and vitamins, but it will keep us fuller for longer and help keep our blood sugar stable.
Maybe it’s time to rethink our relationship with fruit juices, and choose a more nutritious alternative for a snack. They might seem like a quick and easy way to consume fruit, but the healthier alternatives are there for you to pick.