However, when the calories weren't in excess overall, there were some advantages to consuming whole fruit – and even fruit juice. He found negative effects to fasting blood sugar and insulin levels when food provided excess calories from sugars, including fruit juice. His aim? To isolate the effects of consuming too many calories from the effects of foods containing different sugars. He compared studies looking into the effects of fructose-containing sugars (including sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, honey and syrups) with control diets free from or lower in these sugars. In an analysis of 155 studies, John Sievenpiper, associate professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Nutritional Sciences, set out to understand if the associations between sugary soft drinks and health – including risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease – were applicable to the food and drink we generally consume as part of a healthy diet. Diets high in fibre have been linked to a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes, and it's recommended adults consume 30g per day.Īside from the link to type 2 diabetes, many studies agree that fruit juice is harmful if it contributes to an excess in calories. Juices containing vegetables can provide more nutrients and less sugar than juices made up of just fruit – but they still lack valuable fibre. The researchers explain that the possible reason for this may partly have been the lack of the other components found in whole fruit, like fibre. They concluded that – since liquids pass through the stomach to the intestine faster than solids – even when the nutritional content is similar to whole fruit, fruit juice leads to faster and larger changes in glucose and insulin levels.Īnother study found a relationship between fruit juice and type 2 diabetes after following the diets and diabetes status of more than 70,000 nurses over 18 years.

In 2013, researchers analysed the health data of 100,000 people collected between 19 and found that fruit juice consumption was linked with increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Over time, this mechanism can wear out, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Sudden spikes in blood sugar cause the pancreas to release insulin to bring it back down to a stable level. The problem is that, with the fibre removed, fruit juice’s fructose is absorbed more quickly. (Read more in our recent story about whether sugar really is bad for you). It’s recommended by the World Health Organisation that adults have no more than 30g of added sugar, the equivalent of 150ml of fruit juice, per day. This is why, unlike whole fruit, the fructose in fruit juices counts as ‘free sugars’ – which also include honey and the sugars added to foods. “Fruit juice has most of the fibre removed,” says Emma Elvin, senior clinical advisor at the charity Diabetes UK. It takes our digestive system a while to break these cells down and for fructose to enter the bloodstream.īut this is not the case with fruit juice. This is because the fibre found in whole fruits is intact, and the sugar is contained within the fruit's cells. Most foods containing fructose – a naturally occurring sugar found in all fruits and fruit juices – don't seem to have harmful effects as long as they're not contributing to excess daily calories. Cold remedies: Old wives’ tales… or legitimate science?.Is breakfast the most important meal of the day?.The global fruit and vegetable juices market was valued at $154 billion (£123bn) in 2016 and is expected to grow.īut is juicing really as healthy as we think? Fruit juice also has been linked to claims that it can help you both lose weight, and ‘detox’ your system.Īll of which, of course, has made it highly lucrative. Freshly juiced fruit has become a staple in many diets – especially those of busy, health-conscious consumers who can save time on making (and perhaps even chewing) their food without missing out on nutrients.

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