I was never really a health enthusiast for a prolonged time. It was rather a periodic preference that changed season after season. As life chipped in, work doubled and my workout routine only went down the drain, conveniently. Being hypo-thyroid I was always suggested a different kind of diet by different nutritionists. What was even weird was that all of those of those diet charts were different than the other. But I always had fruit juice a part of it. Hear it from anyone, they will all say that including fruit juice in your regular diet is a great thing. I was first told to have pineapple juice and then because I kept putting on weight, I was told to have orange. Then one fine day, I went to a new yet much experienced doctor who said, you should replace fruit juice with whole fruits. Now this created a dilemma, as much as I love fruit juices, I detested whole fruits for a couple reasons. One, carrying them is a troublesome task and two, I would normally not remember having them regularly.
The truth about fruit juice
If we break down different forms of sugar, there are three kinds, glucose, sucrose and fructose. Glucose is what breaks down into carbohydrates and is the most important sugar in the body. And as we know glucose is the primary source of energy and our brain needs it in good amounts to function well. Fructose on the other hand is what fruits contain. When you consume fructose, it easily reaches the liver and them reaches your blood stream instantly. However, when a lot of fructose is consumed and becomes too much for your liver to contain, it converts into fat and may also cause insulin intolerance and obesity. This is an effect of consuming fruit juice.
When I visited my doctor and he realized what was really getting converted into fat was daily consumption of pineapple/apple fruit juice. Another reason why having fruit juices is a terrible idea is because it contains very less or almost no fiber. For an example if Apple has 100% fiber as a whole fruit, when converted into a fruit juice you only have about 2% of it, may be not even that much. If you are someone who counts their calories in fruit juice they range from 100 (grapefruit) and 110 (orange juice) to 150 (grape) and 180 (prune) per 8-ounce cup. If you are someone who has vegetable juices, they have much fewer calories. Even surprising is that if you compare about 350 ml of Coca Cola and Apple juice, Coca Cola has 140 calories and 40 grams of sugar while Apple Juice has 165 calories and 39 grams of sugar. Much difference?
Skipping the fruit juice with just whole fruits or health drinks
Now ideally, having a whole fruit is definitely much better than having their fruit juices. But some fruits like Oranges are great as juices with pulp and is definitely a great source of Vitamin C. When you eat a whole fruit, you take some time chewing it, you eat significantly less and the fibers help in digestion. The sugar also gradually breaks down helping your body. It is not the case with having a glass of fruit juice. We all have developed a health halo which means most of us don’t even realize how much sugar are we consuming in a regular day. Instead balancing small amounts of fruit juices and whole fruits really adds to your health progress.
Some also consider blending fruits, vegetables and some form of proteins into a smoothie. They are much healthier than consuming any fruit juice alone. If you are a gym enthusiast, having smoothies is a great supplement for your workout routine.
Trendogue Recommends
- If you are someone who has thyroid, diabetes or any other disease, consult a nutritionist or a dietician and a good one. Ask what fruits are good for you and what portions you should have.
- Coconut water is a fantastic juice pre-made by the nature and instead having one everyday will do wonders for you.
- Have whole Vitamin C rich fruits. They will help strengthening your bones.
Do you agree with how we feel about having a glass of fruit juice every day? Tell us in the comments section below!
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