Healthy Dieting

The term ‘natural‘ is often used as a marketing tool—as if manufacturers are doing us a favour by allowing food to remain in its normal state. Yet ‘natural‘ doesn’t always imply `better‘, particularly when it comes to high-energy foods.

And so it is with fruit juices. Most are plenty sweet enough and never needed the benefits of ‘no added sugar‘. But because they’re high in concentrated natural sugars (with most fibre removed), they’re also high in energy. Their value in other vitamins and minerals doesn’t compensate for the weight-gaining effects of the drink—`natural‘ or not.

`Natural‘ doesn’t always imply ‘better‘, particularly when it comes to high-energy foods.

‘Light’ what?

Changes to food labelling regulations in Australian will soon see the elimination of a practice that has confused the weight-conscious food buyer for some time. Manufacturers will be required to be more specific on foods labelled ‘light’ or ‘lite’. The confusion has been in being able to add the labels to foods that are reduced in just about anything— sugar, salt, fat, calories (even colour, in the case of olive oil). Yet the term ‘light’ implies `low in energy‘ and therefore not fattening.

Fruit juicers: are they necessary?

Fruit juicers have become a modern ‘diet‘ tool promoted for their health benefits—fruit juices are high in vitamins and minerals. But are they really necessary?

Most juicers work by extracting high fibre pulp from fluid. This is the first process where value is lost. Fibre is an important part of the diet and one of the major reasons for the recommendations for increased fruit and vegetable input in the diet.

Some juice machines liquify the entire fruit or vegetable, thus retaining some fibre. But this results in a thick mushy juice that requires diluting with water before drinking. When the mix is diluted, the concentration of vitamins is thus altered, reducing the value per volume of fluid. Hence, while whole fruit is wholesome, low fat and recommended, you can save your money on the fruit juicer.

The downside of fruit juice

Because it takes around 500 g of fruit to make a cup of fruit juice, the sugar (and therefore energy) value of the juice becomes highly concentrated. On the other hand it’s very easy to drink a cup of fruit juice, while it would be quite filling to eat the whole fruit which made it up. Fruit juice therefore is quite fattening, relative to the quantity of whole fruit from which it’s made.

JUICE MYTHS

Fresh juice is more nutritious than processed juices. False. As long as processed juices are handled properly they retain the value of fresh juices.

Juice is as good as the whole fruit. False. Fruit contains more than just juice (particularly fibre), which adds to its value.

Juice is not fattening. False. Because juice represents concentrated sugar (without the benefit of fibre), it can be as fattening as the sugar in normal soft drink.

Commercial juicers are better than hand squeezing. False. They may make the job easier, but because most juicers eliminate fibre they are probably less healthy than the hand squeezed variety.

Juice is better than milk for infants. False. Although some juice may be desirable, a high level of energy intake from fruit juice can mean infants miss out on other vital nutrients in the diet.

Fruit juice can also increase blood triglyceride levels, thereby increasing disease risks in susceptible people. For this reason the overweight should be particularly cautious about high intakes of fruit juices, just as much as the underweight might be cautious about the risks of becoming overweight.

The rise in blood sugars caused by drinking fruit juice can also be a disadvantage in those with diabetes, or with undetected diabetic tendencies. Blood sugar increases after drinking fruit juice are little different to those from drinking the same amount of regular soft drink. Whole fruit causes a less rapid rise in blood sugar than fruit juice.

For those with a weight problem, fruit juice should be avoided in favour of the whole fruit. Fruit juice has no extraordinary health benefits, although in the normal weight healthy individual it can provide an important source of energy and nutrients.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
‘Natural’ fruit juices

• Health Purifying Juices
• Put (resistant) starch back on the menu
• Your Problems with Weight Loss
• C U Soon
• Dieters’ Drinking Formula Thirst Quenchers
• Nutrition Consider about Canned Foods
• Healthy Eating Plan for a Lousy Day
• The Sensitive Seven Elimination Diet
• Are you Overeating, find out your Eating Patterns
• Eating Out, Tips for Dieting Success