Kids often love to drink juices because they taste good and are supposed to be a healthy means to start the day. Even parents are of this notion that fruit juices are healthy for their nutritive value. But is it really so? A team of scientists from Harvard School of Public Health has found that eating a whole fruit lowers the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, drinking it in the form of juice may actually increase the risk.

Fruit, when taken whole has various benefits to the health and parents should make it an important part of the food guide pyramid. Ready juice available in the market may be easy to serve at the breakfast table, but if you are really concerned about your kid’s health then it is always a good idea to cut some fresh fruits and serve it.

Fiber content: Processed fruit juices are often less in nutrients and fibers as they go through various processing techniques to last more. Since the juice extracted often has to undergo a pasteurized or heat treatment, it loses a lot of the nutritional value. Fibers carry many digestive benefits and play a major role in slowing the absorption of the fruit’s sugar and keep the glycemic index low. The fibers are removed for extended shelf life and this is far less effective than fresh fruits.

The calorie intake: Besides the fewer nutrients, fruit juice contains lots of sugar to make it taste sweeter. This increases the calories and is indirectly very harmful for the body. Sugar ingestion actually causes the release of natural opiates and stimulates the desire for other sweets or even junk food. So chances are higher that your kids will beg for another juice pack and may be less interested in having proper meals. Increased sugar intake can also lead to weight gain.

Beneficial compounds: Fresh fruits are often high with anti-oxidants such as flavonoids and vitamin C as compared to processed juice. In fact, by the time the fruit juice is packed, many of the ingredients that protect the body from various diseases have been lost.

Added preservatives: Processed fruit juices often have additives and preservatives added to it. These additives may cause carcinogenic effect on the body and may be very harmful for kids. It increases the risk of certain cancers, instead of preventing them.

It is probably better to offer your kids an apple or an orange instead of a bottle of juice that you may think to be a rich source of vitamins. Whole fruits are a good source of fibers and nutrients so it is good to introduce plenty of them in your kid’s diet.

Summary

While choosing between fruit juice and a whole fruit, it is always best to stick to the natural one as it offers more fibers and nutrients, prevents various diseases and contains fewer calories. So go for the original source instead of the processed one.