Is Fruit Juice Good for Me?

Years ago, I joined Weight Watchers to help me with my over-eating. I liked their plan as they focused on healthy food choices, moderation, and they even recommended exercise.

One new thing that I discovered about my habits was that I drank many of my calories. I tended to drink a lot of apple and orange juice and counted it toward my daily fruit requirement.

However, it’s better to get your nutrients from the actual fruit than to drink the juice. Fruit juice is loaded with sugar.

In fact, fruit juice contains as much sugar and calories as a soft drink. (tweet this)

It’s also absorbed very fast, so by the time it gets to your stomach your body doesn’t know whether it’s Coca-Cola or orange juice. The British Medical Journal published a study which found fruit juice to be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

While whole fruit is a source of dietary fiber, fruit juice actually contains little to no fiber. Juice can also be extremely easy to over-consume, which may take you over your recommended daily calorie intake.

So choose the whole fruit over fruit juice or as the adage says, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

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