Juices and Smoothies May Not Be As Healthy As Many Think, Experts Say

Juices and smoothies may not be as healthy as many think, experts say

By: Chicago Tribune, adapted by Newsela staff

August 1, 2013

As you read, annotate and find examples of the author’s bias (opinion) and highlight or underline them.

CHICAGO — Freshly made juices are supposed to be good for you. The people who sell them say they give you instant energy and lots of vitamins and minerals — and make you lose weight too. Plus, all that goodness comes in a single gulpable serving.

Lots of people who want to have a healthy diet seem to believe the claims. They buy gallons and gallons of juice.

Jamba Juice, which sells juices and smoothies, had sales of $55.1 million in just 13 weeks. Coca-Cola picked up on the juice fad early. In 2001 it bought juice-maker Odwalla. In 2007 PepsiCo purchased Naked Juice.

Raw vegetable and fruit juices make up about 10 percent of sales at the health-food chain The Protein Bar, said founder Matt Matros. His customers believe juice is an important part of their healthy diets.

Popular, And Dangerous?

Tools for juicing at home are also a big business. And more than 40 books about juice or smoothies have been released in the last 30 days alone on Amazon.com. Most mention health, weight loss or both in their titles.

But according to dietitians and nutrition scientists, juice is far from the healthiest way to eat fruit. One expert went so far as to call its popularity dangerous. “The fruit juice industry ... [uses] the ‘apple-a-day’ ... [idea] ... to sell fruit juices as healthy,” said nutrition professor Barry Popkin.

Popkin and other experts would rather see people eating whole fruit. Because juicing removes fiber, one of the best parts of fruit is left out of juice. At the same time, juice contains huge amounts of sugar and calories.

“Every one of the long-term studies ... shows that you increase your risk of diabetes and weight gain” with regular juice consumption, Popkin said.

One 2010 study looked at people who drank two or more servings of fruit juice per week. It found they had a 29 percent higher risk of developing diabetes than people who didn’t drink juice regularly. They weren't much better off than weekly soda drinkers, who had a 42 percent increased risk.

Unlike juices, smoothies do provide fiber. The entire fruit often goes into the blender, skins and all. But smoothies still contain a lot of calories. Choosing a vegetable-based juice or smoothie is one way to reduce the sugar content.

What problem does the author present in this section of the article? Eating The Whole Fruit

Elizabeth Ward, a dietitian who works with Jamba Juice, points out that juices contain lots of vitamins and minerals. That makes them a good alternative to drinks like sodas, which contain only calories, she said.

But many dietitians say there is simply too much sugar in fruit juice. The sugar outweighs any benefit from the concentrated vitamins and minerals.

“Eating too much fruit can make us gain weight, just like eating too much candy,” said dietitian Lara Field.

Plus, by not getting the fiber in fruit, juice drinkers miss out on a lot of the health benefits, said dietitian Bethany Doerfler.

Americans already are harming their health by not consuming enough fiber, said Joanne Slavin, a professor of food science and nutrition.

Diets higher in fiber reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and help keep people from gaining weight, Slavin said. Yet most American adults only achieve half the recommended daily fiber intake, which is 25 to 38 grams.

“I want people to eat more fiber,” Slavin said. That includes choosing whole fruits over juice.

Juice Better Than Nothing

Eating fiber also contributes to a feeling of fullness that helps prevent people from overeating. One 2009 study found that people who ate apple slices before lunch felt more full than those who drank apple juice. They then consumed 15 percent fewer calories during lunch.

But the same study suggests fiber isn’t the only factor. A third group in the study ate applesauce which had about as much fiber as the apple slices. That group still consumed more calories at lunch than those who ate raw apples — though not as many as the juice drinkers.

Field offered one explanation: Juice, smoothies and applesauce don’t require chewing. Research suggests that chewing helps signal the body that it’s eaten enough for the moment.

But experts admit it can be challenging to eat enough whole fruits and vegetables. For adults, the suggested amount is 1-½ to 2 cups of fruit and 2-½ to 3 cups of vegetables a day.

“Sitting down to a bowl of kale is intimidating,” said Doerfler. In fact, this may be one reason juices and smoothies are so popular.

Everyone agrees Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. While not ideal, drinking juices is better than nothing, said nutritionist Christina Stark.

Doerfler said smoothies and juice could be a less scary way to shift to a more plant-based diet. Vegetable-based blends are a healthier choice, with just a small amount of fruit added to make them tastier, she said. What arguments did the author use to support his stance? What is the author’s stance?