Fruit Juice Facts

The warm weather is coming, and thoughts are drawn to cold drinks. Parents are getting wise about avoiding fruit drinks and punches, but there are concerns about drinking large amounts of even unsweetened fruit juice. According to a 2012 Canadian study, Canadian kids are drinking plenty of juice. In fact many two and three-year olds drink more than 2.5 times more than the Canadian Pediatric Society’s recommended maximum of four ounces (120ml) a day. What is the downside to this consumption?  There is plenty, nutritionally, that juice does not deliver. Squeezing juice from fruit leaves behind the skin and pulp both of which contain fibre and disease-fighting phytochemicals. Fibre helps to slow the absorption of the natural sugars in fruit, and apple juice, for example, contains only a fraction of the flavonoids (antioxidants) found in the skin of apples.

The naturally occurring sugars in fruit juice are not harmless. When it comes to sugar and calorie content, fruit juice and sugar sweetened soft drinks are pretty much identical. A 12-ounce serving of 100-per-cent orange juice has 165 calories and 34g of sugars (8.5 tsp). The same amount of cola has 156 calories and 36g of sugar. To compare, a large orange has 86 calories, 17g of sugar and the benefit of 4.4 g of fibre. The World Health Organization considers the naturally occurring simple sugars in juice a “free sugar” that is easily and quickly absorbed by the body. This is the same as sugars that we and manufacturers add to our foods.

A concern with juice is the ease with which calories are consumed. It takes less time to drink calories than to eat whole fruit. Portion size is another consideration. A typical juice box contains 200ml, more than the CPS recommended 120ml. Smoothies made by blending whole fruit contain more fibre, nutrients and phytochemicals; however, keep in mind that liquid calories are still going to be consumed faster. Blending  fruit changes the structure of the fibre making it less filling.

What’s recommended?

Pure unsweetened fruit juice is not a substitute for the real thing. Don’t substitute it for more than one of your daily fruit and vegetable servings and limit size to four ounces (120ml) for children 1-6 yrs and eight ounces for older children and teenagers. Avoid giving fruit juice before age one. Some experts advise no juice before age two.

Better yet choose whole fruit.  Eat the rainbow, and choose fruits of many different colours to derive the benefits of flavonoids and antioxidants.  Replace juice in lunches with water or shelf stable milk or soy milk boxes that are good sources of protein, calcium and vitamin D. If you juice your own fruit include vegetables too. Use a 3:1 vegetable-to-fruit ratio to maximize nutrients and dilute sugar and calories.

References:

Written by Joyce, Parent Support Coach

Childreach