Real fruit or fruit juice

NAIROBI: While fresh fruit juice may seem like a healthier option when compared to ‘fruit juices’ sold in supermarkets, it does not compare to eating the fruit itself.

In the process of making fresh fruit juice, one gets rid of parts of the fruit that contain fiber and important vitamins and phytochemicals (skin and parts of the pulp).

These are actually components of the fruit that make it a healthier option in the first place. Getting rid of them means the fruit juice becomes just a source of sugar that does not give any other nutrients.

Secondly, for you to make a glass of fresh orange juice for example, you will need around four to five oranges. After which you will still find yourself in need of something more to achieve satiety. This is mostly because sugar in the juice is absorbed faster and spent faster. In the end, you consume more calories than you would have if you ate the whole fruit instead.

On the other hand, if you ate four to five oranges, you would feel full and the feeling would last for some time since, thanks to the fiber, you will feel satiated.

This is an especially important note for people who are trying to lose weight. Making juice-taking a regular habit also puts one at risk of metabolic disorders such as diabetes type 2 due to the beverage’s high sugar content.

Fresh fruit juice can, however, come in handy in cases where one cannot eat normal solid food and has to do with blended mixtures.

It can also be a good way to improve one’s appetite, especially in situations such as chemotherapy where nausea is common. It also comes in handy when one has severe constipation due to the reduced amount of fiber.