The Case Against Juice

Although Juice may seem to be more pure or healthy than soda, Nutrition experts recognize that Juice may have the same risk of causing weight gain or obesity as non-diet soft drinks. Weight gain and weight loss depends on Calories consumed vs Calories utilized by the body.

While fruit/vegetable juices are technically healthier for containing Nutrients that soda is lacking, the two are calorically comparable. 8 ounces (1 cup) of Orange juice, for instance, contains 110 Calories. The same amount of soda contains 97 Calories.

But you were always told that juice was healthy, right? Well, it is. It’s just very calorically dense compared to the actual fruit or vegetable it comes from. The juicing process also lowers the Fiber content. Because these liquids contain no or very little amounts of fiber, they enter and leave the stomach very quickly, leaving you hungry. So you’ve consumed a Caloric beverage with a higher Calorie content than would be coming from a whole, unadulterated fruit or vegetable product.

These liquid Calories could cause eventual weight gain, because you are consuming Calories that do not keep you full. Instead, the liquid Calories are consumed in addition to other meals and snacks throughout the day, which could cause weight gain if you have already consumed your RDA for Calories in food or other beverages.

If you love juice or want to keep it as part of your regular diet, make sure that the juice counts as part of your daily fruit intake. For instance, 1 cup of Orange Juice is the equivalent to 1 Cup of Fruit. The RDA for fruit (based on a 2,000 calorie diet) is 2 cups. And keep in mind that the whole fruit or vegetable is always healthier than the juiced product, because the whole product contains the same Nutrients, plus the fiber benefits to promote fullness and healthy digestion.