|
|
|
|
Our weekly news column bringing the most current, non-biased health
information to the consumer. |
|
|
March 25, 2008 |
A Publication of QVHD |
The Truth About Juice
By: V. Deborah Culligan, RN, MPH,
Deputy Director QVHD
Remember the days when you
drank juice with breakfast just because it tasted good? Remember when
you chose juice by what you liked, (most often between orange,
grapefruit and tomato) rather than by what it could do for you? Today,
juice products claim all kinds of health benefits. But are they really
true? Is juice always the best food choice for the nutrition claim being
promised? And when it comes to kids, why does every modern mother think
apple juice is a better choice than fruit punch or soda?
This column does not advocate giving kids soda, because it does have
calories that contribute little in the way of nutrients. However, if you
do the research, you will find that apple juice, grape juice and fruit
punch are similar in their nutrient composition to soda. Look at the
data (given for one ounce of each product): Baby apple juice -15
calories, 3.39 grams of sugar and 0 grams of fiber; Bottled apple juice
-15 calories, 3.38 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of fiber; Canned fruit
punch -15 calories, 3.50 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of fiber; Canned
grape juice -19 calories, 4.7 grams of sugar and 0 grams of fiber;
Carbonated cola soda- 11 calories, 2.75 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of
fiber. Does this surprise you? Perhaps the fruit juices have a few more
vitamins and minerals but not enough to call it a much better choice, as
popular thought would have you believe. (You can compare food values of
interest to you on line, ( www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ )
The producers of juices and juice products have once again appealed to
our nutrition conscience. Hence the huge selection in juices with all
kinds of great health claims. Note, however, you will not get the same
nutrition benefits from a glass of juice as you would from a piece of
fruit, especially in terms of fiber content. It has also been
demonstrated that eating a fruit makes you feel fuller than drinking a
glass of juice. This is important for those trying to lose weight.
The Nutrition Action Healthletter , January/February 2008, has an
excellent article on juices and their claims. A few key points of the
article are:
• For the most part, juices, even with extra pulp, are not good sources
of fiber. The only juice with significant fiber content is prune juice.
• If you are concerned about getting enough vitamins, take a once-a-day
vitamin supplement, rather than relying on a juice. You will be sure of
the amount of the vitamins you are getting and will not get the calories
that come with the juice. Juices with added calcium and Vitamin D can
help people reach their daily targets, but men need to be careful to not
exceed 1,200 mg per day.
• Most of the nutrition claims made on juices are called “structural”
claims rather than “functional” claims. Structural claims do not require
scientific proof like functional claims do. An example from the article
is when a juice claims that the product “helps protect healthy joints”
rather than helps arthritis.
• Don't be misled by an American Heart Association checkmark on a juice
product. This symbol generally means that a product is low in saturated
fat and cholesterol. Well, most juices (and fruits) are!
• Antioxidant claims on juice products should not affect your decision
to purchase a product. The scientific evidence on antioxidants is far
from conclusive.
• Exotic juices like acai, gogi, pomegranate or blueberry are expensive
and have little scientific evidence right now to back their claims. But
if you like it, drink it.
One last thing to consider is the amount of sugar in juices. This is
especially important if you are diabetic. Juice can be part of a
balanced nutritional eating plan. Just don't rely on them for miracle
cures and be aware that they do contain calories. For a free reprint of
the article referenced in this letter, District residents can call QVHD,
248-4528 or request on line, www.qvhd.org .
| An Ounce of Prevention is a
publication of the Quinnipiack Valley Health District, located at
1151 Hartford Turnpike, North Haven, CT 06473. Telephone:
248-4528. An Ounce of Prevention is
written by V. Deborah Culligan. The articles are published in the following local newspapers, The Advisor &
Beth-Wood News.
The content is provided as health education and
information to help you make health decisions. It is not intended to
be legal or medical advice, or substitute for recommendations made
by your health care provider. Address all comments to the district
office. |
|
