So, you’ve modified your diet to reflect the healthy, new you. You did away with sodas and replaced them with fruit juice. Because juice is healthier, right? Find out whether fruit juice is healthier than soda.
The first rule of thumb: If it says “fruit” it must be healthy. This is a myth that has many people drinking juices that contain as much, if not more, sugar as a soda.
Even juices labeled that it contains 100% fruit juice isn’t necessarily true. And be wary of those that say they are not from concentrate. Unless your juice comes directly from the fruit, chances are they do have unhealthy additives and a significant amount of sugar.
The Juice and Sugar Relationship
That’s not to say that fruit juice has no health benefits. For example, orange juice you buy in the supermarket does contain vitamin C. But, in comparison to a real orange, there really is no comparison.
So, what’s the deal with all the sugar? Well, when you down a cup of juice, or three, at the same time you are drinking a huge amount of sugar in a short period of time. This exacerbates your liver when all the sugar goes through your body. And, leaves you a prime candidate for liver disease.
Let’s pause for a second, though, and assume that your juice is not full of fructose. Suppose it is real fruit juice. In reality, that wouldn’t be much better. One study found that 480 ml of grape juice daily for 12 weeks led to an increased waistline and insulin resistance. The difference was not large in the 12 weeks the participants drank the juice. But, think about how it would affect you if you drank it daily for 12 years instead of 12 weeks.
Final Thoughts
Generally speaking, fruit juice is healthier than soda but not by much. Fruit juice does contain small amounts of nutrients compared to soda that has none. However, the amount of sugar that many juices contain negates its healthy effects.
