People in Fort Lee, NJ, trying to eat healthier frequently turn to fruit juice as an alternative to soft drinks. There are many redeeming qualities in fruit juice. It is a more nutritional option than soft drinks but not necessarily the best choice. Fruit juice has all the nutrients except one important thing contained in whole fruit. That missing factor is fiber.
What’s the difference between fruit and fruit juice?
Fruit juice has all the nutrients and phytochemicals that the fruit contains except fiber. Fruit juice also contains all the sugar in the fruit. Fiber controls how quickly the fruit sugar enters the bloodstream. It slows down the absorption of sugar, so it doesn’t cause a spike in blood glucose levels. That spike causes a rush of insulin, which can cause insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, hyperglycemia, and some types of cancer.
Fiber provides many benefits.
Studies show that people who eat a diet higher in fiber have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Increasing fiber in the diet can also lower cholesterol levels. Studies show that consuming whole fruit reduced bad cholesterol levels by 6.9% compared to drinking fiber-free juice. Other studies show a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes by eating fruit, rather than drinking its juice. You’ll also feel fuller when you eat the whole fruit. Fiber slows digestion and keeps you feeling full longer.
If you purchase commercial fruit juice, you don’t always know what you’re getting.
The fruit juice in small boxes showing a picture of the fresh fruit and is often given to children is deceiving. You automatically think it’s pure fruit juice. Many times, it’s not. You have to read the label. If the carton doesn’t say, “100% fruit juice,” you’re getting additives, fruit flavoring, and even more added sugar.
- It takes about three oranges to make an 8 oz glass of orange juice that isn’t nearly as filling as eating one orange. Even orange juice with added fiber isn’t as filling as eating an orange.
- Not all sugar is equal. High fructose consumption is associated with heart disease, gout, high blood pressure, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and diabetes.
- One glass of fruit juice in the morning contains eight teaspoons of sugar, of which four are from fructose. One glass of cola contains approximately the same amount of sugar. It has ten teaspoons.
- If you’re going on a juice diet, use a blender, not a juicer. It’s closer to eating the whole fruit and contains all the fiber of the fruit. The fiber contains polyphenols that are antioxidants.
For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center