The harms of fruit juice... What is one glass equal to
The food industry is rapidly developing, and although this may at first glance seem like a positive process, if we look at the bigger picture, we should see the countless products lining the shelves of supermarkets and hypermarkets as a showcase of refinement. When we used to say "fruit juice," what came to mind was the orange juice or tangerine juice our mothers squeezed at home; once machines began entering our homes, apple juice also began to be consumed. Fruit juice is the liquid naturally found within the structure of the fruit. It has the vitamins contained in the fruit it is named after, and it also contains a high proportion of sugar. Today, fruit juice is divided into three groups according to the proportion of fruit it contains:
Fruit juice: Contains 100% fruit with no additives.
Fruit nectar: Contains 25-50% real fruit.
Fruit drink: The proportion of fruit it contains is 10%.
HARMFUL TO HEALTH
Preferring drinks and powders with fruit content below 10%, prepared with fruit flavoring, coloring, and scenting additives, is harmful to health.
The main ingredients of fruit cocktails are generally sugar-dense or high-fructose corn syrup and water. These drinks, which can be non-alcoholic depending on preference, have very low (or even nonexistent) nutritional value and very high sugar content. Research shows that the risk of obesity in children is increasing particularly due to fruit juices with high sugar content.
No one can deny that fruit juices contain high vitamins and antioxidants, but as the amount of fruit used to obtain fruit juice increases, so does its sugar content. For example, a glass of apple juice contains almost as much sugar as a wafer. If you say you must drink a glass of fruit juice every day, even if just one glass, you should make it from the fruits with the highest possible nutritional value. The best example is pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice also contains a high amount of sugar and calories, but it has a high antioxidant quality. The antioxidants it contains help protect brain function and prevent the formation of cancer. A study conducted showed that 220 ml of pomegranate juice daily prevented the recurrence of prostate cancer.
Cranberry juice is also a powerful source of vitamin C that supports the immune system against illness and reduces urinary tract infections.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory effect, sour cherry juice has been found to reduce muscle pain resulting from fatigue.
Grape juice is important for preventing heart disease.
Orange juice, our more frequently consumed fruit juice habit, is also a source of vitamin C, and although not as much as grape juice or pomegranate juice, it does contain antioxidants.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that fruit juice consumption be between 110-200 ml for children under 6, and between 220-330 ml for children aged 7-18. For adults too, consuming more than one glass of fruit juice daily is not recommended. The best alternative to fruit juice is eating the fruit itself, this way we get more fiber and reach the feeling of fullness more easily.
You can benefit from my book "Beautiful, Happy, and Healthy" for more information on this and similar topics.
Hüseyin Nazlıkul