Are fruit juices as bad as sodas?
Fruit juices are generally perceived as healthy and much better than soda. Some argue that juices have more vitamins, which is why it is good.
However, some people suggest that the juice is not as healthy as it sounds and is as unhealthy as sugary sodas.
Keep reading to get out of the doubt and understand the differences between soda (soft drinks with sugar) and juices (both natural and packaged).
Fruit juices vs. sugary sodas
Cola and other sodas (including Pepsi, Sprite, Mirinda, etc.) are high in simple carbohydrates. After water, sugar is the key ingredient in both cola soft drinks and sugary industrial juices.
In the case of cola, we are talking about 20-25 g of sugar per 250 ml, equivalent to 5 tablespoons. In juices, this content can vary. However, most have similar sugar content.
Because of this, some people have started including juices and sodas in the same group, suggesting that they should be avoided in the same way. However, sodas and natural juices are unlikely to affect your health in the same way.
As for soft drinks such as Coca-Cola or similar products, there have not been any benefits of taking them. Since most of them do not contain good nutrients for the body.
As for juicing, it has been found that drinking small amounts of juice, 150 mL per day, can reduce the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Consuming higher amounts appears to be detrimental to health. (1)
That said, the health benefits of juice only apply to 100% fruit juice, not sugar-sweetened fruit drinks.
Table of sugar content in juices and soft drinks
To see it more clearly, below is a table of sugar content in packaged juices and a comparison with soft drinks – per 100 ml and glass (250 ml):
| Type of drink | Sugar content in 100 mL | Tablespoons of sugar per glass |
| Grape juice | 14-15 g | 8 tbsp |
| Apple juice | 10-12 g | 6 tablespoons |
| Peach juice | 12-13 g | 6 tablespoons |
| Pear juice | 11-12 g | 6 tablespoons |
| Orange juice | 8-10 g | 5 tbsp |
| Cherry juice | 7-8 g | 4 tablespoons |
| Granada juice | 7-8 g | 4 tablespoons |
| Carrot juice | 4-5 g | 2.5 tablespoons |
| Tomato juice | 3-4 g | 2 tablespoons |
| Soft drinks – Coca-cola, Pepsi, Sprite, etc | 10 g | 5 tbsp |
For example, packaged orange juice contains the same amount of sugar as cola: 5 tablespoons per glass, so its image of healthy is somewhat exaggerated. Apple, peach, pear, and grape juices can contain more carbohydrates, up to 8 tablespoons per glass.
In addition, both sodas and industrial packaged juices are often high in glucose-fructose syrup. This ingredient has a high glycemic index and triggers an insulin spike in the body. Its regular use leads to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Are canned juices sour?
Any sugary industrial drink, including cola and fruit juices, contains refined carbohydrates without added vegetable fiber. Consuming these ingredients in excess is bad for the body; it can lead to weight gain and increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
One of the advantages of packaged fruit juices is their vitamin content. For example, 100 ml of orange juice contains 80% of the daily value of vitamin C and 4% of the value of vitamin A. Most soft drinks do not contain vitamins of any kind.
However, when evaluating benefits for and against. It is better not to consume either of the two and replace them with natural 100% fruit juices.
The freshly squeezed natural juice will contain not only natural vitamins, but fructose is found in combination with fiber. This difference is not minor for the body. Fiber allows the sugar in fruits to be processed for longer and does not generate spikes in insulin levels.
Natural juices are high in vitamin and fiber content
You need to understand that the most valuable ingredients in fruit are not its glucose and fructose content. But instead its fiber and vitamin content.
In the case of packaged juices, these components are almost entirely removed. They are not present in soft drinks.
So natural fruit juices are good because their high fiber content “balances out” the adverse effects of sugar in the fruit.
The adverse effects of the high sugar content in industrial juices can outweigh the health benefits of vitamins and can lead to excessive weight gain. That is why they are said to be wrong.
RELATED:
ABSTRACT
The sugar content in packaged fruit juices is very similar to the sugar content in cola, reaching figures of up to 5-8 tablespoons per glass. So its effects on weight gain and carbohydrate metabolism are very similar.
Choosing natural fruit juices without added sugar instead of industrial juices and soft drinks can help keep your body healthier.
Natural fruit juices are rich in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that industrial packaged products lack. Regular intake of small amounts of fluid has been linked to various health benefits.
