Whole fruits help lower blood pressure and keep you healthy, but questions about the benefits -- or risks -- of fruit juice abound. As long as it's 100 percent pure fruit juice, you'll get about the same vitamins and minerals as eating the whole fruit. However, fruit juice does not retain fiber, and one cup can exceed 100 calories. The calories and natural sugar you'll get from fruit juice can increase your levels of triglycerides.
Sugar in Fruit Juice
When juice is pressed from fruit, it retains most of the nutrients except fiber. Fruit juice contains natural sugar, which may include any combination of the simple sugars, fructose, sucrose or glucose. This type of natural sugar is considered healthy because it comes with a variety of vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants. The important ingredient to watch for is extra sugar that may be added as a sweetener. Any type of added sugar, whether honey, table sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, contributes calories without nutritional benefits. If the label states the product is 100 percent fruit juice, then it should not contain added sugar.
What is Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in foods, and they’re also the form of fat stored in your body. High levels of triglycerides in your bloodstream increase your risk of heart disease by lowering good cholesterol and increasing the rate at which bad cholesterol clogs arteries, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Some genetic conditions and illnesses, such as diabetes and kidney disease, can cause high triglycerides. Drinking too much alcohol and being overweight are two other factors that have an impact. Eating too much sugar, or consuming too many calories from any source, also make your triglyceride levels increase.
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| High levels of triglycerides in your bloodstream increase your risk of heart disease |
The Connection between Fruit Juice and Triglycerides
If you don't need them for energy, your body converts calories into triglycerides and stores them as fat, which means that any type of sugar -- natural or added -- increases your triglyceride levels if you consume too many calories. Additionally, sugar has a bigger effect than proteins and fats because it’s quickly digested. As the amount of sugar in your blood spikes, insulin goes to work, removing it from the bloodstream. One way insulin does its job is by stimulating the liver to turn sugar into fat. Fiber in whole fruit moderates the rate at which sugar enters your bloodstream. Fruit juice doesn’t have the fiber advantage, so its sugar increases your risk of having high triglycerides' levels.
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| Our body converts extra calories into triglycerides and stores them as fat |
Recommendations
As part of a triglyceride-lowering diet, the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests consuming at least two, but no more than four, servings of fruit daily. However, eating whole fruit is preferred. If you drink 100 percent fruit juice without added sugar, 1/2 cup equals one serving. Whether you’re trying to lower triglycerides or not, you should drink no more than one serving of fruit juice daily, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. If you’re pre-diabetic, avoid fruit juice and stick with calorie-free beverages, recommends Stanford University.
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I am in love with fruit juices. My favorite fruit juice is Goji Berry Juice which is 100% natural and effective against skin infection and eye problems. Thank you for sharing the article. I loved reading this blog post.
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