Fruit Juices are not in Fashion for your Body

A sight we are used to seeing is people having fruit juices first thing in the morning. Many are unaware of the consequences of gulping down a glass of juice every morning. Fruit juices are great antioxidants and a healthy part of your diet. The time you consume them is what matters the most. Let us dive deeper than just the pros and cons of fruit juices. 

Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar that is present in fruits, fruit juices, and smoothies. Additionally, animal studies show that excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating.

Fruit juices and smoothies have added sugar. Whole fruits are rich in nutrients and fiber. 

Fiber can help you feel fuller for longer periods by slowing down the rate at which fructose enters your bloodstream. For this reason, eating whole fruit is preferable to consuming it as juice or in a smoothie. Fiber helps regulate bowel movements, prevents constipation, and contributes to a feeling of fullness, which can aid in weight management.

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Why whole fruits are better than juices

The fiber present in whole fruits balances the natural sugars in fruits and slows down the sugar's absorption into the bloodstream, reducing the risk of blood sugar spikes.

Fruit juices often contain concentrated sugars and are high in calories without the balancing effect of fiber, leading to quick spikes in blood sugar levels. Imagine getting a spike of sugar in the morning. 

In the case of sugarcane, the most loved drink in India, it has been advised to avoid by the Indian Council of Medical Research. Experts in medicine advise adults to limit their daily intake of free sugar to 30 grams, while children between the ages of 7 and 10 should only have 24 grams.

The World Health Organization suggests that we must only consume 25 grams or 6 tablespoons of sugar in a day. A cup of juice might contain 21 grams of sugar. Now imagine if you consumed 2 cups in a day. Your consumption for a day would be more than 40 grams. 

For diabetic individuals, this might be dangerous. Even for individuals who do not have diabetes, too much sugar intake can pose a lot of issues. Issues like weight gain can be triggered due to excessive consumption of products with added sugar. Additionally, animal studies show that excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating.Other physical issues like an increased risk of heart disease, adult acne, or even cancer.

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Sugar isn’t our enemy; we need healthy carbohydrates to function well, and hence sugar must be consumed in moderate amounts.