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Diet: Does 100% fruit juice make any difference?

By Bisi Abiola
04 October 2018   |   3:00 am
If we are healthy, chances are that we will enjoy life to the full. If we are physically strong, we feel good and recover faster from illnesses or even resist them in the first place. The key is to eat the right foods in the right proportion. Under normal circumstances..

If we are healthy, chances are that we will enjoy life to the full. If we are physically strong, we feel good and recover faster from illnesses or even resist them in the first place. The key is to eat the right foods in the right proportion. Under normal circumstances, we should find this easy to do. However, our desire to balance our diet may be constrained by low cash outlay, lifestyles, lack of know-how or ingrained negative societal values. Therefore, the smart thing to do is to evaluate and take advantage of readily available and affordable nutrients fillers.

More so, in situations where we are aware of the benefits of eating fruits, but our culture does not recognise fruits consumption as satisfying enough while availability, convenience and affordability are key factors for fruit denial. Of course, money is also a factor when we compare fruit to other heavy carbohydrate and fatty foods.
How do we get over this dilemma? The solution is an adequate consumption of 100% fruit juice, which can help us meet your daily goals for fruit intake and continue to be part of a healthy diet.

Does 100% fruit juice make any difference?
Yes, it does.
The truth is 100% juice is proven to have similar or exactly same nutrition as fresh juice does, straight from a fruit without added sugar or preservatives. In other words, all 100% fruit juices, whether or not they are made from concentrate, are made of fruits only. When fruit juice is 100% pure juice, it counts as one portion of fruit, which comes in helpful as many Nigerians do not meet their daily fruit quota for good health.

How does it make the difference in your diet?
The fact is that most people fail to meet their daily recommended goals of five fruit portion per day, even as fruit provides important nutrients for overall health and wellness. This is what makes 100% fruit juice a shrewd choice since it is convenient, delicious as well as a nutritious way to consume whole fruits every day.In addition, you do not have to worry about your favourite fruits being out of season as you can enjoy them as 100% fruit juice all year round. However, unlike sodas, 100% fruit juice has no added sugar, but contains only the naturally occurring sugars found in the fruit from which the juice was squeezed.

So, when you include 100% fruit juice in your diet, you are on the right track since it counts toward daily fruit servings and provide key nutrients to support a healthy lifestyle. In fact, 100% fruit juice can be part of a healthy diet and can help you meet your daily goals for fruit intake because it is a nutrient-dense drink that provides vitamins, minerals (folic acid, thiamine and magnesium) and beneficial plant nutrients like polyphenols.For instance, 100% fruit juice has a high dose of Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant in the body, fighting free radicals that can damage cells and lead to diseases like cancer.

Know your juice
It is vital to educate yourself on facts that will help you select a healthy product made with 100% fruit juice. The first place to start is go with tested and trusted brands and whilst also paying attention to the nutrition facts on the label. Be careful to check that 100% fruit juice is clearly written on the packaging. In the Nigeria market, one well-known and trusted brand is Chivita 100%, as it is usually recommended for its supreme quality and advanced processing expertise. So ensure your fruit juice is the ‘real thing’ and must be without preservatives or artificial colours to get value for your money.

The point is, fruit is a must have for an everyday balanced diet and 100% fruit juice is a convenient way to enjoy a fruit portion where many people are struggling to eat just enough whole fruit and vegetables for healthy living. So, whether your favourite fruits are out of season or not readily available, you can reach out for convenience and freshness of your favourite fruit in 100% pure juice.

Typically, dietary guidelines recommend a vitamin and mineral intake preferably from fruit and vegetables as part of an overall balanced diet. 100% fruit juices have a high density of certain micronutrients and their consumption is associated with greater likelihood of adherence to dietary guidelines for vitamins and minerals. Concerns that the natural sugar content may adversely affect diet quality or energy intake are unfounded. 100% fruit juices may be declared a “source” of key micronutrients, and some nutritional compounds in fruit juice have greater bioavailability than in the fresh fruits from which they are derived.  

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