# Why is fruit juice considered unhealthy all of a sudden? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198 "2015-09-22T12:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/41 "2015-09-25T11:00:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > There are plenty of ways to get water without drinking it. The good folk of Innsmouth, MA, where I stayed a day, never drank a drop, but positively _glistened_ with hydration. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/42 "2015-09-25T11:11:49Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > The good folk of Innsmouth, MA, where I stayed a day, never drank a drop, but positively _glistened_ with hydration. Yes, but their lodge initiation ceremonies are _murder!_ ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/43 "2015-09-25T11:47:24Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > I remember for the longest time, people always said it was good to drink juice, because it was full of vitamins and antioxidants. Now I’m always seeing articles on how juice has way too much sugar and is bad. Why was there this turnaround on it? Is there really that much more sugar in juice than there was 10 years ago? I don’t know about 10 years ago, but **7** years ago when my daughter was a newborn, part of the baby care / mother’s group / post natal support on offer was a session where a nutritionist came in and talked to us about feeding children, and emphasised that juice was an unhealthy choice and certainly shouldn’t be consumed daily. And I remember not being surprised by that, as I was already aware that juice was no longer considered healthy. We were told that all juice should be considered as unhealthy as soft drink, and that we should encourage our children to eat fresh fruit but only provide plain water for them to drink. The nutritionist said the fibre in fresh fruit acted as a signal to our bodies to stop consuming before we over-consumed. Once you juice fruit, you’ve retained all of the sugar but lost the fibre. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/44 "2015-09-25T12:25:02Z")
If I could tack a rider question on, what about smoothies, are they much better? I know they’re still chock full of sugar (natural sugars though! As we all know the word ‘natural’ is synonymous with ‘good’) but will you get more of the good stuff you get with fruit (the fiber and whatnot)? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/45 "2015-09-25T13:04:01Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > If I could tack a rider question on, what about smoothies, are they much better? I know they’re still chock full of sugar (natural sugars though! As we all know the word ‘natural’ is synonymous with ‘good’) but will you get more of the good stuff you get with fruit (the fiber and whatnot)? Smoothies are great ways to pack on the nutrients (perhaps) & calories (perhaps). Have you had your jaws wired shut? Sure! Are you trying to pack on the weight after a debilitating illness? Of course! Otherwise, figure out the calories in each smoothie & add it to your daily total… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/46 "2015-09-25T13:36:17Z")
There’s something about drinking, even something thick & a bit chunky like a smoothy, that’s far less effective at creating satiety versus chewing the same food. Folks that would balk at the volume of eating a banana, 6 strawberries, one measured cup of frozen yogurt, and 8 ice cubes at a single sitting will gladly suck down the same food in blended form through a straw without noticing they’ve eaten anything. And they’ll be hungry-feeling again in a few minutes. Looking around America today it seems that a shortage of concentrated easy-to-overeat food is not our problem, people. Quit trying to solve that non-problem! 🙂 Try this instead: “Real food. It’s what real people eat.” Great slogan to live by. IMO, YMMV, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/47 "2015-09-25T14:02:45Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Otherwise, figure out the calories in each smoothie & add it to your daily total… Yeah that’s certainly going to have a fat YMMV attached. Chains that sell smoothies often publish nutritional information. Some of them are just lots of juice with some fruit chunks and thickeners. You have lots of control if you’re making it yourself. I don’t know how blending fruit affects processing by the body. Presumably you were going to chew it first, so I’m not expecting much difference. But I’m ready to hear otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/48 "2015-09-25T14:39:43Z")
Our kids almost never have juice, just water or milk, and in our case it’s not for nutritional reasons; it’s partly because our dentist says fruit juice is hard on your teeth, and partly because I don’t want them getting into the habit of always drinking sweet stuff. I know a couple of kids who won’t drink plain water, only juice, and I don’t want to get into that. Apparently, though, [research shows no link](http://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2014/12/01/pure-juice-wont-rot-your-kids-teeth/) between 100% fruit juice and either obesity or tooth decay. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/49 "2015-09-25T17:37:12Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > …nd emphasised that juice was an unhealthy choice and certainly shouldn’t be consumed daily. And I remember not being surprised by that, as I was already aware that juice was no longer considered healthy. > > We were told that all juice should be considered as unhealthy as soft drink, and that we should encourage our children to eat fresh fruit but only provide plain water for them to drink. The nutritionist said the fibre in fresh fruit acted as a signal to our bodies to stop consuming before we over-consumed. Once you juice fruit, you’ve retained all of the sugar but lost the fibre. 1. Wrong. One glass a day is actually good for you. 2. Not even close. 3. You can get juices that have the fiber. OJ with full pulp, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/50 "2015-09-25T18:24:56Z")
There is minimal fiber in orange juice, even the extra pulpy stuff. Check your label. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/51 "2015-09-25T18:28:29Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Yeah, and I’m sick of giving the same advice decade after decade. You’d think I’d have changed the world by now. > > What’s your offspring up to these days, anyway? Willing to eat anything - to make it topical - and in her second year of high school and already taking college courses. Yes, I’m proud and yes, we’re old. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/52 "2015-09-25T22:44:19Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > 1. Wrong. One glass a day is actually good for you. > 2. Not even close. > 3. You can get juices that have the fiber. OJ with full pulp, for example. I’m with the nutritionist. Full pulp juice notwithstanding, I agree that it’s easier to overconsume juice than fruit. The Australian Government’s healthy eating guidelines recommend children only be given plain water or milk and state juice is not a required part of a healthy diet. [http://m.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/mskpages/child\_nutrition\_juices\_and\_sweet\_drinks?open](http://m.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/mskpages/child_nutrition_juices_and_sweet_drinks?open) “Fruit and vegetable juices contain sugars that are found naturally in fresh fruits and vegetables, but become very concentrated when made into juice. Children do not need any fruit or vegetable juice to have a balanced and healthy diet. Encouraging children to eat the whole fruit or vegetable, and drink plain tap water or milk rather than juice is the best way to establish good eating habits early.” ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198/53 "2015-09-25T23:53:41Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > I remember for the longest time, people always said it was good to drink juice, because it was full of vitamins and antioxidants. Now I’m always seeing articles on how juice has way too much sugar and is bad. Why was there this turnaround on it? Is there really that much more sugar in juice than there was 10 years ago? This has been slowly working its way into public thought for years. My daughter is 16- when she was a baby, our baby books did make the point that juice was “hardly any better than soda”. I had trouble swallowing that one then- my wife and I used to grin and toast each other with that line when we drank juice. Still, there’s truth to it. Juice is better than soda, just not much better [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-fruit-juice-considered-unhealthy-all-of-a-sudden/732198.md?page=2)