Will Too Much Fruit Juice Make You Fat?

Correlation does not equal causation. Sure, fruit juice is more healthful than a soft drink. There is no question about that. But do juice drinkers have other healthful habits that soft drink drinkers don't have. Do juice drinkers tend to eat less fast food, exercise more, and have a higher fruit/vegetable intake than soft drink drinkers? I ask these questions because if those confounding variables exist, we can only say that people that drink juice tend to take better care of themselves. Juice is a high sugar beverage, even if it is natural sugar. Ceteris parabus, would equal quantities of juice and soft drinks tend to put on the same amount of weight? Quite possibly. Juice will spike blood sugar and cause an insulin rush just like a soft drink. It does contain some vitamins and minerals, but little in the way of fiber to slow down it's absorption into the bloodstream. In that respect, the body can't distinguish it from a Coca-Cola.

I am willing to bet that there is something more than just changing from soft drinks to juice. These same people are probably just generally more mindful of their health. The real study would be to compare three groups on identical diets except one drinks soft drinks, one drinks fruit juices, and one drinks tea/water/non-caloric beverage using whole fruit to make up the carb intake.

Cheers
Scott Kustes
Modern Forager

Scott, you make some good points, but the issue here is that juice has been vilified unfairly. In reality, juice is nothing like regular soft drinks, which are usually chock full of harmful high fructose corn syrup and little if any nutritional value. HFCS poses much higher health risks than the natural sugars found in fruit juice and is also linked to obesity, whereas (according to this large reputable study) fruit juice itself is not linked to obesity.

Rebecca, I'm not sure that juice has been vilified unfairly. I wouldn't hold it up as a bastion of good nutrition. Sugar is sugar to the body. While HFCS tends to screw up liver function, pushing one towards Type II Diabetes faster, the sugar rush from juice will burn out insulin receptors just as well. Sugar is sugar is sugar when it comes to your body...once it's broken down, all the blood sees is a ton of glucose coming in and a resultant need for a ton of insulin, which will predispose to Type II. I don't see anything in this synopsis of the study that causes me to believe they really controlled for confounders (like the aforementioned overall more healthful lifestyle) and therefore I question the validity of the result. Equal calories from two different beverages, both of which are high in sugar (whether natural or not) will tend to cause a similar sugar rush and a similar insulin response. Since insulin is a storage hormone and puts the body into a mode for storing calories, jacking it up with natural sugars is also not a healthful endeavor.

Juice should not be a normal part of a healthful diet. Liquid calories are not a good way to get nutrition. Note here that both orange juice and apple juice have more calories than a Coke. That is a link from the study referenced above. Because all 3 are beverages, all three require little breakdown by the body to flood the bloodstream with sugar. Now, eating equivalent calories from oranges or apples IS a healthful endeavor as the fiber and bulk will slow down the rate of sugar entry into the bloodstream. Note that you can eat about 3.5 apples for the same number of calories as in the apple juice and the apples will actually make you feel full.

Scott Kustes
Modern Forager

Scott, you're entitled to you opinion, but science does not support your conclusion that "Juice should not be a normal part of a healthful diet." That's simply not true. Sure,anything in excess can be bad for you. Even too much water can be lethal, but in moderation most juices are a very healthful, nutritious addition to a normal diet.

The latest research has also found that fruit juice does not contribute to developing diabetes.

"Their findings suggest that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, but not 100 percent fruit juice, may be associated with insulin resistance, even in otherwise healthy adults."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/81620.php

A very interesting conversation.
Please allow me to enter the 100% fruit juice debate.

Scott you hit the nail on the head. Sugar is sugar is sugar. Aside from the diabetes and obeisity concerns, moderate consumption of 100% fruit juice causes tooth decay.

I am a dentist from Appleton, WI. I have seen the carnage 100% fruit juice causes to children who drink it. In fact, 100% fruit juice is far worse than soda and other sugary drinks. Why? Because parents think it is a healthy snack and freely give it to their children.
I just came from spending a day volunteering at a free dental clinic. I saw child after child with rampant decay, and all of these children drank fruit juice.
What is worse is that the Federal W.I.C. program gives 100% fruit juice to mothers to give to their children.
It is a sad and disheartening situation. I welcome any and all comments.

With all due respect R.A., kids with lots of cavities are probably eating candy and drinking soda as well, so how on Earth did you deduce that fruit juice alone gave them cavities? How do you know for sure what those children are eating, and if they are brushing regularly? My child drinks lots of juice, is very healthy, and has never had a cavity. But he doesn't eat candy or drink soft drinks, and he brushes daily. Your theory doesn't sound very plausible and unless you can direct me to any large, reputable study that shows fruit juice is the main culprit of cavities then I must respectfully point out that your opinion is just that. Large, reputable studies have shown, on the other hand, that fruit juice is a healthful addition to a normal diet. Whole fruits and vegetables also have sugar, but of course we're not going to restrict kids from eating fruits & veggies because there are naturally occurring sugars in them.

Great debate....Let me ask the forum this question.

Over the holidays I received a juicer as a gift. I thought this would be a great way to introduce extra fruits and veggies into my diet. The question I have is drinking a large glass of fruit/veggie juice daily(usually a couple carrots, celery, apple, pineapple, etc.)going to impact negatively on my diet. I am otherwise a healty eater and excercise regularly. I am just concerned that this higher intake in sugars will add weight.

I would suggest that adding some olive oil a protein supplement to the fresh juice would eliminate the insulin spike seen with excessive sugar consumption

I am a little bit late chiming in on this debate, but studies show that an eight ounce glass of many types of fruit juice can benefit your health. Guava juice, full of anti-oxidants an vitamins. In all due respect, Sugar is Sugar.....Well, YES!!! but in moderation there should be no problem. Portion control......it's a new trend:).

I like orange juice. Its gotta be better than pop.