(Newswire.net — January 6, 2014) Washington, DC — (This article is published as response to an earlier article published on Newswire.net) I read the article posted on your site entitled “You May Not Want To Drink That Fruit Juice” and as a registered dietitian working with the Juice Products Association, I would like to address several misconceptions about 100 percent fruit juice noted in the article.
First, I’d like to stress that 100% juice is a healthful nutrient dense beverage which provides more than just sugar and calories. It also contains many beneficial vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (plant compounds) and is a top contributor of vitamin C, folate, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin, thiamin and niacin. According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines fruit juice is considered nutritionally equivalent to other fruits in the fruit group.
With regard to weight gain and 100 percent fruit juice intake, results from studies have been mixed. However, the majority of evidence suggests 100 percent fruit juice does not impact weight gain and some studies have even shown an inverse relationship. As with any food, excessive intakes of 100 percent fruit juice, above recommended amounts, can lead to weight gain.
You also mentioned diabetes. Currently, there are few studies on 100 percent fruit juice consumption and Type 2 Diabetes and results are mixed. Diabetes is a very complex disease. Therefore, many other lifestyle and dietary factors, in addition to fruit and fruit juice intake, influence the risk of developing diabetes, and these must be considered when assessing diet.
Finally, I would like to address the fiber issue. Although whole fruit contains more fiber per serving than fruit juice, USDA’s own data indicates that replacing 100 percent fruit juice with whole fruit increased fiber by only one-half gram (from 1.3g to 1.8g), while gaps in important nutrients we need more of, such as potassium, increased significantly across all food patterns. In fact, several studies show people who drink 100 percent fruit juice have higher intakes of total fiber, higher whole fresh fruit intake and better quality diets overall compared to people who don’t drink 100 percent fruit juice.
For more information about fruit juice, I encourage you to contact me and/or visit www.juicecentral.org. Scientific references for the studies I mentioned can be found at http://www.juicecentral.org/research-summary/.
About Juice Central
Juicecentral.com is a resource for information on the benefits of 100% fruit juice, owned and operated by the Juice Products Association (JPA). JPA is the trade association representing the fruit and juice products industry. Membership is composed of processors, packers, extractors, brokers and marketers of fruit and vegetable juices, juice beverages, fruit jams, jellies and preserves and similar products, as well as industry suppliers and food testing laboratories.