Fruit Juice vs. Whole Fruit

Have you noticed that on most websites are listed all of world’s healthiest fruits but no fruit juices are specifically mentioned as the preferred form for healthy eating? The reason for this is simple: regardless of the fruit and the method used for juicing, the most intact and diverse collection of nutrients come through the whole fruits.

Benefits of the skin: The skins of healthiest fruits such as blueberries, apples, figs, apricots, pears, grapes, prunes, plums, raspberries, raisins and strawberries — are all sites of important biological activity in the life of the fruit. The skin is the place where the fruit interacts with light, and forms a variety of coloured pigments that absorb different wavelengths of light.

These pigments, including flavonoids and carotenoids are well researched to be nutrients protecting nourishment and health. The skins of whole fruits like grapes actually have ability to help provide protection from ultraviolet light and help lower risk of cancer. Unfortunately, when fruits are juiced, it is not always possible to enjoy the skin. That is because many juicing processes remove the skin, and do not allow for skin’s benefits to get into the juice.

Benefits of the pulp: The pulpy part of the fruit also contains fibre and other nutrients. Orange juice is a good example of the health benefits of pulp. The white pulpy part of the orange is important source of its flavonoids. The juicy coloured sections of the orange contain most of its vitamin C. If the pulpy white part of the orange is removed during making orange juice, the flavonoids will be lost during the process. This loss is one of the many reasons for eating the orange in its whole food form, even if you only end up eating a little bit of the white pulpy part. Although many commercial products claim to have added pulp on their labels, many are not even the original pulp and it is highly unlikely to be added back in the amount removed.

Juicing reduces the fibre content: Do you know how much fibre is lost in the conversion from whole fruit to fruit juice? A cup of apple juice with removed pulp contains no measurable amount of fibre.

Is juice unhealthy? The answer depends on what food it replaces and how it is consumed. Juice that has been robbed of its fibre and broad range of nutrients is basically just source of sugar that lacks the supportive nutrients to help it digest and metabolise. Fruit juice increases blood sugar more quickly than whole fruit and the level of sugar that can be obtained from juice is higher than the level found in fruit.

 Source: fitnea.com