It amazes me how many Americans believe that juice can be drank in unlimited amounts. I think all the confusion started with the saying, “eat more fruits and vegetables”…the problem is that most Americans went for just the fruit and then juiced it. Now, I would personally rather eat my food than drink it, but if you really want to have one serving of juice watch that portion size!
One serving of fruit could be:
1) 1 piece the size of a tennis ball (or fist)
2) 1 cup chopped (if the cup is not level, then it is not 1 cup)
3) ½ cup canned in its own juice
4) ½ cup of 100% fruit juice
5) ¼ cup dried
For many years, dietitians have been saying to reduce your intake of empty calories. One main way to do that is to stop drinking pop, but it is surprising how many clients traded one sugary drink for another. Yes, juice does have vitamin and minerals in it but the sugar and calories per 4 oz is very similar to that of pop. Check out the nutritional comparison below:
JUICE (Orange juice, raw)
| Water |
g |
109.49 |
| Energy |
kcal |
56 |
| Energy |
kJ |
233 |
| Protein |
g |
0.87 |
| Total lipid (fat) |
g |
0.25 |
| Ash |
g |
0.50 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference |
g |
12.90 |
| Fiber, total dietary |
g |
0.2 |
| Sugars, total |
g |
10.42 |
POP (Carbonated beverage, SPRITE, lemon-lime, without
caffeine)
| Water |
g |
110.61 |
| Energy |
kcal |
49 |
| Energy |
kJ |
203 |
| Protein |
g |
0.06 |
| Total lipid (fat) |
g |
0.02 |
| Ash |
g |
0.01 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference |
g |
12.49 |
| Fiber, total dietary |
g |
0.0 |
| Sugars, total (2) |
g |
11.06 |
I believe that there is a place for juice, but that place is in a 4 oz. glass and in moderation 😉
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post! I get this quite often. If it’s not juice, they replace soda for gatorade thinking it’s a better choice. I always try to emphasize the importance of eating a fruit versus drinking the juice.
Totally agreed. I still juice at home and drink Naked juice, but in moderation. I like the idea of getting all those nutrients into your body quickly without having to eat a plate full of fruits and vegetables, but I do still eat my fruits and veggies as well.
I love this! I live with a bunch of “health fanatics” who are constantly guzzling juice as though it’s water. Yes, it has vitamins but it’s also got a ridiculous amount of sugar! Besides, I like to eat my calories, so I’d prefer an apple to apple juice any day
Thanks for leaving a comment Nicole! I am the same way and would rather eat my calories
Excellent point. It seems the more we learn about health, the less healthy we become.
Good point Cameo! I think the problem is who is doing the teaching…
Thanks for writing about this topic and I appreciate your concern about people trading one bad habit for another, and I certainly agree, but I was curious about the source for the “juice” you compare to soda. Is this fresh fruit juice or bottled? Some fruits have lower sugar content than others so that might also be part of the comparison.
Charlotte
charlottesplate.com
Thanks for stopping by Charlotte! I just added the descriptions for each drink to the post. The “juice” in this example was raw orange juice. If you are curious about other juices check out the USDA National Nutrient Database – http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ This is great reference and where I got my figures from.