Fruits are power packed with essential nutrients and minerals we require for the day and so do fruit juices; after all, juices are a byproduct of fruits, right?
Fruit juice, though tasty and refreshing, but is it as healthy as whole fruit?
When a whole fruit is pressed or squeezed to make juice, some of the nutrients, most notably fibre (helps in boosting digestion, controlling blood sugar, and lowering cholesterol),and the water-soluble vitamins, are lost in the process.
Fibre also helps you feel fuller longer, and that can help control your weight while on the other hand Juice leaves the stomach faster than a piece of whole fruit.
“As a result, fruit juice is less filling”
Sugar content Although nutrition experts generally say not to be concerned about the sugars that are naturally present in fruit (as well as in milk, plain yogurt, and some vegetables), fruit juice is a more concentrated source of sugars than whole fruit because the lack of fibre means your body absorbs the juice’s sugars more rapidly.
Example: There are 12 grams of sugars in a medium orange, but a cup of orange juice has 21 grams. A cup of grape juice has about as much sugars as 50 grapes.
While 100% fruit juice is not completely devoid of nutrients, it is undoubtedly less nutrient dense than the whole fruit that it came from.
If we talk about ease of consumption, then juices are better for obvious reasons. The elderly, children and the indisposed who cannot swallow solids or find it difficult to swallow can be given juices.
Fruit juice is a good option for people who are picky eaters, so you can combine other fruits to make it tastier and flavourful.
So what is the answer?
Fruit juice is ok to have occasionally as long as 100% juice(with no added sugar) but the benefits of whole fruits are far more than juice.
Fruits and vegetable are rich in nutrient, so it would seem that consuming the juice from their essence would deliver those nutrients directly to the body where it could then use them to improve overall health.
However, most of these benefits have little to no scientific proof to support them. There are many studies that show that eating fruits and vegetables, in their original form, can improve and reduce risk of disease.
“THE BETTER OPTION : ALWAYS PREFER MORE WHOLE FRUITS OVER JUICES”
How long does homemade juice last?
So the answer is avoiding storing it. Juices are perishable, so it’s best to drink them immediately.
In case you want to store then for maximum freshness and to reduce toxins leaching from plastic, it’s best to store your juice in a glass container which may help to keep fresh for 24 hours this time depends on juicer used.
How Fast Does Juice Lose Its Nutritional Content?
Juice spoiling and juice losing its nutritional value are two different things.
The oxidation process means that your juice will start to lose nutrients after about 30 minutes, so ideally you should drink it as soon as possible after you make it.
Think about that apple going brown when it’s exposed to the air again. If you put that same piece of apple in an airtight container inside the fridge, then it will turn brown a lot slower. The time it takes for your juice to spoil will depend on how you store it – just like our imaginary piece of apple!
Always keep this in mind
Fruit juices are great, however, they shouldn’t be served to diabetics considering they have no fibre content left. In fact it is okay to have both whole fruit and homemade juices alternatively but you can always choose to switch between the two.
Additionally, many fruit juices that are sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage of real fruit juice, and contain added sweeteners (sucrose or high fructose corn syrup).
Package juices not only destroy its beneficial compounds but it nearly removes the natural fibre present in the same, increasing the sugar content and reducing the fibres present in the same. Packed bottle also have preservatives which may have a detrimental effect on your health.
As a result, it is easy to consume a large amount of calories without getting any actual nutrition when you consume these beverages.
If children under 5 given juice it should be:
- 100%(avoid giving packed ones)
- Diluted with water
- Offered only at mealtimes
That said, if you have to choose between a fruit and mass-produced commercial juices, choose the fruit. Commercial juices have preservatives which should be avoided as much as possible because preservatives are not nutrients. We recommend home pressed juices.
Make sure you read fruit juice labels carefully for more information! Turn over on the back of the jar or bottle, and look over the ingredient list – you may be surprised to see exactly where the fruit itself fits in!