Is Fruit Juice A Healthy Option?

UK newspapers this week have widely reported the news that the health guidelines we currently have concerning the portions of fruit and vegetables that we should eat daily don’t go far enough; “5 a day” should now be 7 a day! Not only that, but advice about the type of fruit and vegetables that we ought to eat has also been thrown into question.

This new thinking is based on research carried out by Dr. Oyinlota Oyebode and colleagues for the University College London, where data from the Health Survey for England was used to study the eating habits of over 65,000 people over a period of eight years or more, and match them with causes of death. This study was important as it was the first to look closely at the link between fruit and vegetable consumption and life length, to try to quantify the health benefits per portion and to identify the fruits and vegetables with the most benefits.

They found that, basically, the more fruit and vegetables you eat, the better your life expectancy. They also found that eating seven or more portions daily reduces the risk of specific deaths from causes such as heart disease, stroke and cancer. The published figures, compared with those eating less than one portion a day, are on a sliding scale up to 42% less risk of death from any cause for those eating seven or more portions a day.  Many people still struggle to achieve eating five portions a day, but don’t be put off if seven seems a bit of a steep expectation, it is worth eating just a little more from where you are starting; even eating one to three portions daily is quoted as a 14% lower risk.

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When the study looked at the effectiveness of different types of fruit and vegetables they concluded that fresh vegetables offered the strongest protective effect, followed by salad, and that the positive effect of fresh fruit was smaller. Data suggested that canned fruit actually had negative effects on health, possibly because of additional sugar in syrups. However experts seem to think that area of canned and frozen fruit is less clear cut and needs more research because of other lifestyle factors needing to be taken into account.

Fruit juice, for many years now seen as a healthy option, was found to have no significant benefit for life expectancy at all. It is true that fruit juices are a source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but they are also full of natural sugar! A glass of fruit juice can contain a similar amount of sugar as a sugar-sweetened soft drink, and high sugar consumption has been associated with a greater risk of diabetes. And, in comparison with a piece of fresh fruit, a glass of juice has more sugar but little or no fibre.

Some medical experts are now calling for fruit juices and smoothies to be excluded from the recommended “5 a day”; currently, one portion a day can be a fruit juice. One problem seems to be the widespread public misconception about the sugar content of juices because they are advertised as “pure” and “natural”, and so are often seen as the low sugar option, to be consumed without limit. This can lead to excessive consumption, not helped by juices and smoothies often being served to us in portions much larger than we need.

There are nutritional experts who even go so far as to say that children should have no fruit juices or smoothies in their diet at all. Others think that this is taking the argument a little too far; all things in moderation!

So what can we do to make fruit juice a healthier option for us?
- Eat more vegetables than fruit. The Australian model of “2 + 5”, two portions of fruit and five of vegetables daily, seems to be the preferred aim now.

- Wherever possible, swap juices and smoothies for pieces of fruit; eating fresh fruit makes you feel fuller, and the fibre in the fruit aids digestion.

- The recommended portion size is no more than 150g, so be aware of the amount you serve, especially for children. Some experts think that this serving size should now be printed on labels for public information.

SEE ALSO: How to keep healthy at your desk

- If you want a longer drink, dilute the juice with cold water. I’ve been doing this for some time now, and it is surprising how quickly you adjust to the taste.

- When you drink fruit juice, try to serve it at mealtimes. Taking it with food can slow down the rapid increase in blood sugar.

- Most of all, make your intake of fruit juices and smoothies part of a well-balanced diet and active healthy lifestyle.

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Liz Robb for ExpatWoman.com