Fruit and Vegetable Juices: Extraordinary Benefits or High in Calories?

Published July 18, 2016

What exactly is a 100% juice? Why should we limit them? Are all juices equal?

What Is 100% Pure Juice and Why Should We Avoid Confusion?

To deserve the name 100% pure juice, the product must be obtained simply by pressing the fruit and must not contain any added ingredients. For this reason, these juices are close to "homemade" juices made with a citrus press, juicer, or cold extractor. They should not be confused with juices made from concentrate, which are produced from dehydrated juice and may contain added sugars. Nectars - a blend of juice, water, and various ingredients - and fruit drinks (fruit cocktails, orange drinks, etc.) are the furthest from true fruit juice.

With the exception of 100% pure juice, these beverages (which marketers try to make look like "real" fruit juice) have been associated with a number of effects.

The Benefits of 100% Pure Juice

There is solid evidence supporting the benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. But do the juices extracted from them offer the same advantages?

Micronutrient content - 100% pure juices retain most of the nutrients and phytochemicals found in the original plant.

Antioxidant defense system - fruits and their respective extracts may enhance the body’s antioxidant defenses by reducing oxidative effects on tissues. They may increase the body’s antioxidant capacity within an hour of consumption, with apple, orange, and grape among the top eight fruits providing a maximal antioxidant effect.

It is also worth noting that the polyphenols found in fruits, especially orange juice, are highly bioavailable for humans.

Fruit Juices: Why You Should Not Overdo Them

Two key factors justify limiting the consumption of fruit juices:

Low fiber content - juices contain less fiber than whole fruits; they are therefore less satiating and less effective at slowing hunger.
Caloric density and sugar content - This is a crucial point: to obtain a significant amount of juice, you need to use multiple fruits, far more than you would typically eat one after another. This concentrates the fruit sugars (and thus the calories) into the juice. A homemade juice made from 3 oranges, for example, contains nearly 45 g of sugar, close to the total recommended daily intake. And remember: the sugar in fruit, fructose, contributes to cavities just like other sugars and may lead to weight gain.

How to Make the Most of Juices?

Make your own juices. Unsurprisingly, fresh juices contain higher concentrations of flavonoids than juices made from concentrate.
Use a cold extractor. Juices made from the whole fruit have stronger antioxidant activity than those made only from the fruit’s flesh.
Choose vegetable juices and mix things up. Try carrot–lemon, carrot–celeriac, cucumber–lettuce, or carrot–beetroot–apple combinations (beetroot is among the Top 10 Antioxidant Foods).
Limit fruit juice intake. Choose a small glass or add ice cubes to reduce the sugar concentration of the juice you drink.

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