Generally, juice is considered a very healthy option for a snack. People think that it contains all the vitamins and minerals that are necessary for you. Although the fruits actually do contain these vitamins and minerals, the juices that we buy from the market do not.
We see kids everywhere carrying juice boxes and gulping down the sugary liquid. This is mainly because the parents consider the juice to be healthy for their kids. However, the juice is not actually “healthy” in reality. Following are the reasons why:
The juices that are available in market are usually straight-up sugar. Even if the juice is advertised as “no sugar added”, it still contains a lot of sugar. This is because the juice of a fruit only contains fructose. This concentrated fructose causes the blood glucose level to rise significantly, which in turn triggers “hyperactivity” in kids. However, our body stores this energy in the form of fats. Once this energy is stored, our blood glucose level falls down and you end up feeling tired.
When our blood glucose level falls down, the hormone which triggers hunger, ghrelin, is released. Hence, our body ends up craving more sugar and we start consuming way more sugar than we should. There are researches which proved that consuming fruit juices can lead to type 2 diabetes. People who drank a glass of juice daily had a 21% higher risk of developing diabetes.a
One out of every three children is obese. This is mainly due to their daily large caloric intake. Juices are at fault most of the times for this excessive caloric intake of kids. 8 ounces of orange juice from the market contains 130 calories. Not only this, it also contains 31 grams of sugar. This is more than what 8 ounces of coca cola contains!
More often than not, we see juice brands advertisements as if drinking their juice is as beneficial as eating the actual fruit. In reality, the store-bought juice is nowhere near as healthy as the actual fruit. The juices available in market are pasteurized which helps them to last longer but it kills off the nutrients. Furthermore, they have the audacity to claim their juices as “healthy”.
The kids which are exposed to juices usually develop a liking to sweet foods. They loathe foods that do not taste as sweet, For example, carrots and broccoli. On the other hand, the kids who do not drink juices have an easier time adjusting to healthy foods, which are less sweet. Their palates get used to over time and they do not make a fuss when offered healthy food.
The juices which are available in market contain a high amount of preservatives as well. This makes them last longer. However, these preservatives do not have a very positive effect on the health of children as well as adults. They can damage our liver and kidneys. In addition to this, they also cause acidity.