Juice – How Much You Drink Matters

By: Jesse Ball for Body1

The benefits to your health from drinking juice are well known. Cranberry juice has been linked to the prevention of urinary tract infections. Grape juice can help prevent blood clots. Pomegranate juice can even clear clogged arteries. But how many of our beliefs about fruit juice are based in science and how much is myth? Is it true that having a glass of juice is always a good idea?

Take Action

Tips to Enjoy Fruit: It’s better to eat fruit than to drink it. Don't drink more than one eight ounce glass of juice per day. Pomegranate, cranberry and purple grape juices are especially good for you. No single fruit contains all the nutritional value you need, so vary the types of fruit you consume (or take in as a juice). Juicing whole fruits will keep a lot of the nutrients from the original fruit, but it will still reduce the fiber intake because juicers typically extract the fibrous pulp.

Well, mostly, yes. The protective benefits of the various juices are clear. However, there can be certain dangers as well. As in Shangri-la, the rule is moderation.

It's always best to eat whole fruit. Michael D. Ozner, M.D., the author of "The Miami Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight and Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease, says “that eight ounces of 100 percent juice is acceptable per day.”

Why is fruit better than fruit juice? Fruit has fewer calories, more phytonutrients and more fiber. While it is easier when you're in a hurry to down a glass of juice than to peel an orange or wash and core an apple, media emphasis on the healthy benefits of drinking juice may have more to do more with the industry than nutrition.

It's notable that the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against Tropicana Products, Inc. in 2005, accusing them of misleading consumers. Tropicana had claimed that two to three glasses of "Healthy Heart" orange juice would reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. While it's true that orange juice has an advantageous effect on health, Tropicana pressed its case a bit too far. They have been barred from making similar unsubstantiated claims in the future.

Which Juice is Best?

Cranberry juice, pomegranate juice and purple grape juice all offer antioxidants that fight against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Orange juice is good as well, as it’s loaded with vitamin C, potassium and folic acid.

Anne Kulze, M.D., author of "Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet: A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss and Lifelong Vitality," champions fruit juice's role. However, she warns against indiscriminate juice drinking.

Watch Your Calories

First, fruit juice contains a huge amount of calories. Furthermore, a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests fructose may trigger hormonal activity leading to unwanted weight gain.

A Simple Method for Selecting Fruit

"Richly-colored juices are your best choice," Kulze says, and advises that when selecting a juice, you choose one where you can see sediment at the bottom of the bottle. "That means the skin has been used in making the juice," she explains. "The skin of any fruit is where you find the highest concentration of beneficial properties."

And of course, always make sure what you're drinking is 100 percent juice. Avoid fruit beverages, fruit cocktails, and fruit drinks.

Last updated: 26-Jul-06