Is 100 Percent Fruit Juice Healthy?

The average American consumes around 30.3 liters of fruit juice every year. You may think fruit juice is a healthy way to start your day or a convenient method of increasing your consumption of fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals. Even though it has some health benefits, 100 percent juice also has drawbacks you may wish to consider before pouring your next glass.

100 Percent Juice

Juice labeled "100 percent" is made purely from the juice of natural fruits. It has no additives, sweeteners or preservatives in it, according to nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic. The vitamin and mineral content is far higher in 100 percent juice than it is in sweetened juice or fruit juice cocktails, she adds.

Benefits

A high intake of fruits and vegetables is essential for optimal health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends a minimum of 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit per day for women and 2 cups for men, and a cup of 100 percent fruit juice can count as one of your fruit servings. Juice can also be an excellent provider of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C. The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C for men is 90 milligrams and for women 75 milligrams daily. Three-quarters of a cup of orange juice provided 93 milligrams of vitamin C, while the same amount of grapefruit juice has 70 milligrams and tomato juice, 33 milligrams.

Sugar vs. Fiber

While 100 percent juice may be a convenient way to consume extra vitamins and minerals, it can be packed with sugar. Nutritionist Dr. Jonny Bowden recommends eliminating fruit juice from your diet entirely -- it's full of sugar and has none of the fiber that real fruit does. While whole fruit is a source of dietary fiber, fruit juice actually contains little to no fiber. A cup of apple juice, for instance, has 0.2 gram of fiber, while a whole apple contains 3.3 grams. One cup of orange juice has 0.5 gram of fiber while a cup of fresh raw orange has 4.3 grams. Drinking fruit juice before a meal may actually make you hungrier, too -- it not only adds calories, but can cause you to eat more calories in the following meal, according to Medline Plus.

Considerations

The most important aspect to consider when deciding whether to incorporate fruit juice into your diet is whether it fits into your recommended calorie intake. A half-cup of grape juice contains 80 calories; the same serving of apple juice has 60 calories, as does orange juice. If you wish to drink 100 percent juice and monitor your food intake accordingly to accommodate this, it can be a healthy way to increase your consumption of vitamins and minerals. However, juice can be extremely easy to over-consume, which may take you over your recommended daily calorie intake.

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