Fruit juice is low on this list because, “By processing and bottling it, you lose two-thirds of what you start with. Then, if you store it, you lose even more. All you’ve got left is a lot of sugar and a lot of calories,” says Barry Popkin, Ph.D., lead researcher of the Beverage Guidance Panel, and professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.
You need fruit
This doesn’t mean you should throw away all the juice in your refridgerator. “Juice can be a good contributor to your fruit servings,” says Nancy Cohen Ph.D., R.D., nutrition professor at the University of Massachusetts.
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new and revised food pyramid, called “my pyramid” (see “New Food Pyramid” at www. EricksonTribune.com), says women over age 51 should have 1½ cups of fruit per day, and men over age 51 should have 2 cups. One “cup of fruit” can be consumed by having an 8 oz glass of 100% fruit juice, ½ cup of dried fruit, or one cup of sliced, whole fruit.
You don’t want to knock out your entire fruit group by drinking 12 or 16 oz of juice each day. “The benefit of eating the whole fruit is it gives you fiber. Drinking the juice doesn’t give you the fiber,” says Henning.“And with dried fruit, you get all the fiber and no fluids,” she adds.
Juice in moderation
“Adults need at least 8 cups of fluid per day, and some of that can be milk, water, and 100% juice,” says Cohen. Experts say 4 to 8 oz of juice per day is a good limit.
When your thirst calls for juice, make sure you drink 100% juice. If the juice is labeled “from concentrate,” the water has been removed from the juice and then added back. The nutritional value and taste of juice “from concentrate” and “not-from-concentrate” are comparable.
As you are looking at the label, try to find juice without any added colors, flavors, or high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose (sweeteners). Also, be sure your 100% juice is labeled “pasteurized” (heated to destroy harmful organisms).
If you would like an added benefit, look for fortified juices. “Some orange juices are fortified with calcium and Vitamin D, so if you need a supplement, these can be useful,” says Cohen.
Lastly, stay away from grapefruit juice if you are taking lipid lowering, hypertensive, or cardiac drugs. The chemicals in grapefruit interfere with enzymes that break these drugs down, and “Grapefruit juice can cause a change in the blood level of these drugs,” says Leslie Brandwin, M.D., Erickson Health medical director at Greenspring, a community in Virginia built and managed by Erickson. Check the information that comes with your prescription to find a warning about grapefruit juice.
Medicinal benefits?
As for the medicinal benefits of certain fruit juices, the jury is still out. Research is ongoing, and there are many personal testimonies, but “There’s not enough evidence to make solid national recommendations,” says Cohen.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there is preliminary clinical evidence that cranberry juice prevents Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). Most evidence has focused on its effects against E. coli, as cranberry seems to keep bacteria from sticking to cells. However, because antibiotics are so efficient in treating a UTI, cranberry should not be the primary agent to stop a UTI, finds NIH.
Henning recommends tart cherry juice for its antioxidants. Some experts say antioxidants boost your immune system. Pomegranate juice is another one known for its antioxidants, folic acid, and vitamin C. According to the Fruit Institute, one pomegranate delivers 40% of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement.
Whole fruit is best bet
But, you might not want to put all your faith in certain juices simply because they contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. According to Popkin, “You will get much greater health benefits from an orange than orange juice.”
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