Fruit v/s Fruit Juice.

• By vishwa on Nutrition

• December 13, 2010

“Coach, I drink fruit juices without adding sugar, so it is equivalent to having the fruit right?”    This is a query asked by many of my clients regarding consuming fruit juices.  My answer is a definite No.  Allow me to explain the reasons why you should not treat fruit juices to be an equivalent to fruits.

Fruit contains fiber.  We know that fiber plays an important rule in one’s health.  An absence or the reduction of fiber in the diet can result in less control of the insulin response, and a failure to benefit from the thermogenic cost of digesting the food.  Now when only fruit juice is consumed it is fruit devoid of fiber.  The absence of the fiber means that it will spike your insulin faster, as that can help in developing diabetes, and that it loses the thermogenic effect that the original food would have that is lacking in the juice. Fiber is also known to benefit in reducing cholesterol and triglycerides, which has a positive influence pertaining to heart diseases.

Moreover, to add to your woes, most of them would add sugar to fruit juices to enhance its taste. Simple sugars are very well known to spike your insulin  level, which in the long run may cause diabetes.

So, next time before gulping down a fruit juice do think twice.