Eating whole fruits is better than drinking juice--even if the juice is freshly squeezed, 100% natural, and has no added sugar.
Contrary to what the juicing fad would tell you, eating whole fruits and vegetables is still superior to drinking any kind of fruit juice. This is because whole fruits are rich in fiber, is more nutrient dense, and is more beneficial to lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk for diabetes.
First, one of the biggest benefits of eating whole fruits over drinking juice is the fiber content. Fiber is essential to a healthy diet. We need it to improve digestion, maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol levels, and control blood sugar levels. It is also essential to prevent diseases like colorectal cancer. In fact, according to the Institute of Medicine, women below 50 need 25 grams of fiber everyday, while men below 50 need 38 grams of fiber everyday. However, once we start swapping fruit juice for whole fruits, we are essentially taking out one of our most abundant sources of fiber. That's because fruit juices, even the fresh all-natural kind, has 0 fiber content. Compare that to a single serving of an apple, which has 4.5 grams of fiber.
A study that compared effect of eating whole apples to fresh clear apple juice, for example, found that whole apples are rich in pectin, a fiber that helps lower cholesterol levels in healthy humans. Clear apple juice, however, has no pectin, and it is also lacking polyphenols and other components that make apples such a healthy fruit.
Second, whole fruits are more nutrient dense than fruit juices. Most proponents of the juice craze would tell you that there are more antioxidants in a glass of juice than in a whole fruit. However, this is not always the case. In a study that compared the amount of antioxidants present in five fruits (grape, apple, orange, grapefruit, pineapple) and their 100% juice counterparts, the studies showed that whole apples, oranges, and grapefruits had 23% to 54% more antioxidants than their 100% fresh juice counterparts.
Third, for 10% of the US population, 5% of the UK population, and the 422 million estimated adults who are suffering from diabetes globally, drinking fruit juice, even if it is 100% natural can actually be harmful to health. As mentioned above, fruit juices have no fiber content. This means that when consumed, our body metabolizes it much faster than when eating whole fruits. And because even 100% fruit juice with no sugar added actually has approximately 35% more sugar than a whole fruit, then you can see why drinking fruit juice could wreak havoc on a diabetic's blood sugar levels.
Also, other studies have found that people who eat at least two servings of whole fruits every week, particularly blueberries, grapes, and apples can reduce their risk for diabetes by 23%, while drinking one or more servings of juice each day can increase your risk for diabetes by 21%.
Does this mean we should stop drinking fruit juice? Of course not. Fruit juices are delicious and refreshing. We just need to be careful and avoid drinking too much. It's also dangerous to be in the mindset that we are making ourselves healthier by drinking fruit juices all the time.
But, to be fair, there are two instances when drinking juice is actually better than the fruit, these are when it comes to consuming pomegranate juice whose anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer properties are transmitted better in juice form, and when we are trying to increase the beta-carotene in our diets. As it turns out, research has shown that the fiber in whole fruit inhibits beta-carotene absorption.
So, between drinking 100%, all natural, no-sugar added fruit juice or eating a serving of whole fruit, eating the whole fruit is usually the better alternative. It has more fiber content necessary to improve health, it is more nutrient dense, and it can also reduce our cholesterol levels and our risk for diseases like diabetes and colorectal cancer. That's why doctors and dietitians always recommend eating whole servings of fruit over drinking juice.
Hope this helps.
Sources:
- Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983
- Is Whole Fruit Really Healthier Than Juice? https://www.outsideonline.com/1783821/whole-fruit-really-healthier-juice
- Skip the juice, go for whole fruit. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/08/reduce-type-2-diabetes-risk/
- Global Report on Diabetes. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/204871/9789241565257_eng.pdf;sequence=1