There is a widespread misconception about the health effects of fruit juices. But the ugly truth is that juices are not as healthy as you think. Juices could become a cause of great distress, especially for weight watchers. Fruit juices are loaded with sugar and sometimes may be comparable to the soft drinks in terms of sugar and calories.
Manufacturing labels might not be true always. 100% pure, no concentrates, sugar-free; all these labels can be misleading. No matter how big the brand is, the juices always have some additives, sweeteners or preservatives in them and undergo many processing methods. In fact, the low-quality fruit juices are only fruit-flavoured sugar water.
Another point to note is that the juices are devoid of any fibre and quickly shoot up the blood sugar levels. The liver can’t metabolize the fructose sugar present in fruits at a fast pace and as a result, most of it is converted into fats. On the other hand, the fibre content of whole fruit makes the digestion slow and it is metabolized slowly and in small amounts. It can also keep you full for longer time keeping at bay the hunger pranks. Chewing and swallowing of fruits takes effort and is a good exercise for the mouth. Sipping juice doesn’t provide any of these benefits.
According to the journal of clinical investigation, liquid sugar in the form of juices might cause insulin resistance, raise triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and cause belly fat accumulation.
Prefer whole fruit always to get your daily dose of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Have them in the form of smoothies and shakes. If you are very fond of juices always prepare fresh at home and consume immediately particularly citrus juices as vitamin C is oxidized very fast and can be lost if kept for long. Don’t add sugar and consume not more than 150 ml.