The most popular question about juices among Internet users is whether juices are healthy or harmful. The editors of the site talked with a leading expert on juice products and found out that this product has a lot of beneficial properties, and the harm is associated only with unlimited consumption and improper storage. President of the Non-Profit Organization “Russian Union of Juice Producers” Natalya Ivanova told why packaged juices are stored for so long, what is important to check on the packaging before purchasing and which juices are best to start feeding babies with.
What beneficial properties do juices have?
Juices are a unique supplier of flavonoids - an important group of biologically active compounds with antioxidant effects. These substances neutralize the effects of free radicals, which damage cells and lead to their aging.
Which juices are the healthiest?
Each fruit or vegetable, like its juice, has its own unique set of nutrients. Both fruity and vegetable juices They are equally useful, but vegetable ones have less calories.
It is also important to understand what vitamins you are lacking at any given time and choose the appropriate fruits, vegetables and juices to make up for this deficiency. So, in the fall and spring, many people experience hypovitaminosis. This is due to the fact that, compared to the summer period, the content of primarily vitamin C in food decreases. In this case, it is recommended to drink “sunny” citrus juices. Just one glass of orange or grapefruit juice a day can “fill” a person’s daily need for this vitamin.
If you choose between store-bought juices and prepared at home, it is important to note several factors:
- Freshly squeezed juice is not subjected to heat treatment, it must be drunk as quickly as possible so that its quality does not deteriorate and harmful microorganisms do not have time to multiply in it.
- As a rule, at home you make juice from fruits that you buy in stores and are usually brought to us from afar. To do this, many fruits are picked before they reach full maturity, and they “ripen” already on the road. The juice of these fruits differs in composition from that squeezed from ripe fruits - this is harmful taste qualities and benefit.
- The path of a fruit or vegetable from its place of growth to the counter can be long; for transportation, in order to avoid spoilage, the fruit can be processed different ways– Before preparing juice, be sure to thoroughly wash the fruits.
- For the industrial production of juices, ripe, without signs of spoilage, fruits and vegetables containing the maximum amount of useful substances are processed. Factories for processing fruits and vegetables into juice are located near plantations and orchards, which ensures minimal time between harvesting and processing.
- For the production of juice, fruits grown in places where the climatic conditions of the region are most favorable for growth are used.
When can juices be harmful?
There is hardly a person for whom juice is contraindicated in principle. However, when various diseases There are restrictions on certain types of juices. So, people with increased acidity gastric juice, sour juices (such as grapefruit or orange) are not recommended; very sweet juices (such as grape or mango) are not recommended for people with increased body weight. And, of course, people prone to allergies need to be careful - juices contain a large number of biologically active substances.
Another one important recommendation nutritionists, which applies to any food product, - it is important to know when to stop. You need to understand that both fruits and juices contain sugar. Each fruit has its own set of sugars: glucose, fructose, and to a lesser extent sucrose. The ratio depends on the type of fruit. When fruits are processed into juices, the ratio of natural sugars remains virtually unchanged. For example, 100 g of apples can contain from 8 to 13 g of sugars. It depends on the variety. During industrial processing, these indicators are averaged - 100 grams of juice contains 10-11 g of sugars, and these are the same sugars that were contained in fresh fruit.
What juices are good for children?
In the future, you can expand the list of juices offered to your child. By the age of one year, a healthy child can drink almost any juice. From the juice he can get what he needs for growth and development. useful material– first of all, vitamins and minerals.
It is important to remember that clarified juice is better suited for first feedings. And only when the baby gets used to it, you can give him juice with pulp, rich dietary fiber and good for digestion.
What information should you look for on the label to be sure of the quality and benefits of the juice?
With today's variety of juice products on the shelves, you need to be able to choose exactly the juice that you need. To do right choice, learning to “read” packaging:
- find the indication of the type of product on the packaging;
- for juice, look for the phrases “reconstituted”, “made from concentrated juice", "made from concentrated juice and puree", "directly pressed";
- For monocomponent juice, it is permissible not to write the composition on the packaging. If there are two or more components, look for the words “multi-fruit”, “from a mixture of fruits” or a name indicating the components: “pear-apricot”, “pineapple-peach” and the like;
- if it is a nectar, juice drink or fruit drink, look for information about the juice content in it. Remember that cherry, peach or apricot products are practically not produced in the form of juices;
- pay attention to the inscription “with pulp” or “clarified”. This will help you choose a product to suit your taste. In most cases, the pulp contains apricot and peach nectars. Grape juice and cherry nectar, on the contrary, are predominantly clarified. But apple juice can be clarified or with pulp;
- If the presence or absence of salt, honey or other components in a product is important to you, read the packaging carefully. It indicates that the product contains salt, honey or spices, and the composition must list all the components of this product;
- carefully examine the integrity of the package - it should not be wrinkled or have any stains. Only integrity guarantees the proper quality of juice products. Be sure to check if the product is expired; look for the expiration date on the packaging. And it would be a good idea to read how long the juice can be stored after opening the package.
Why do packaged juices last so long without being refrigerated?
The law prohibits the use of preservatives in the production of juice products. Aseptic juice production technology allows you to preserve color, taste and nutritional value juices for 12 months or more without the use of preservatives.
Storage conditions for packaged juice are determined by the manufacturer; this information is in mandatory must be presented on the packaging. It should also contain information about the storage conditions of the juice after opening the package. For juice products intended for feeding children, information about the shelf life after opening the package is also mandatory.
Juices bring both harm and benefit to the body.. But you must always consider both sides. Most fruit juices contain many beneficial elements for our body. However, doctors also believe that juices are harmful to health. After all, they contain high level Sahara. Therefore, doctors insist not to get carried away with juices. For example, some people drink only juice instead of water. And this greatly increases the risk of developing diabetes.
Therefore, dear parents, keep a close eye on your children and under no circumstances allow them too much juice.. The thing is that every person, in addition to juices, daily consumes foods and drinks containing sugar. Therefore, in most cases the body receives more than daily norm Sahara. As a result, even the World Health Organization is sounding the alarm and insisting on consuming no more than six teaspoons of sugar daily.
Benefits and harms of juices:
Lemon juice is very beneficial for our body. Because it contains a lot of antioxidants. In addition, it has been used for many centuries to treat many diseases. The main thing is that it strengthens immune system and acts on the body as a protective barrier against many ailments. In addition, it is famous for its high amount of vitamin C, which perfectly strengthens our immune system. And most importantly, it fights cancer and can prevent heart failure.
At the same time, doctors also say that lemon juice is harmful.. It should absolutely not be used by people with gastritis and heartburn. Because the lemon juice has an irritating effect. In addition, it has a very bad effect on teeth, damaging their enamel.
Apple juice According to doctors, you need to drink one glass daily. Because it has a very beneficial effect on the intestines. Plus it contains the most great amount antioxidants and ascorbic acid. These substances can amazingly remove all toxins and chemicals from the body. In addition, even some scientists claim that apple juice can remarkably slow down aging.
Meanwhile, experts also say that apple juice is harmful.. It, like citric acid, contains a lot of acid, which is contraindicated for people with high acidity. Therefore, it should absolutely not be used by people with gastritis, ulcers and various allergic reactions.
Supporters proper nutrition The dangers of canned and packaged juices have long been known. After all, during production they lose a significant part of the nutrients. Substances are also added to them to improve their consumer properties. For example, if low-quality raw materials are used, it is advisable for the manufacturer to add flavoring additives and dyes.
As for freshly squeezed fruit juices, previously there were no restrictions on their use. Scientific research in recent years proves that fruit juices, including freshly squeezed ones, contain too much sugar.
Harm of juices | Research
After a year of drinking fruit juices, an increase in central aortic systolic pressure is observed. A team of Australian scientists led by Professor Matthew Peay monitored the condition of a group of 160 people who consumed freshly squeezed fruit juices daily. As a result of the study, it turned out that when regular use fruit juices much Central aortic systolic pressure has increased, which increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. They equated fruit juices in terms of harm to sweetened drinks, including Coca-Cola.
Other studies have blamed fruit juice for the obesity and diabetes epidemic. Oxford University professor Susan Jebb said that it is not right to quench your thirst with juices. In her opinion, the best liquid in our diet is water.
Harm of juices | Recommended norms of juices (to reduce the harm of juice to 0, you must adhere to the norms)
At the moment, world nutrition institutes are reconsidering their attitude towards fruit juices and introducing recommended amounts for their consumption depending on the sugar content.
In the latest publications of the World Health Organization (sugar consumption project March 2014), the previously recommended daily amount of sugar has been halved again! From the tables above you can see that 1 glass of any fruit juice exceeds a child’s daily sugar intake.
Watch your diet and be healthy!
You may also be interested in the following publications:
- (doctors’ opinions on why you should avoid taking vitamin supplements);
Natural juices – benefit or harm?
For a long time it was believed that drinking all types of fruit juices is very beneficial for the body. But not so long ago, reports from scientists began to appear that drinking concentrated juices has a bad effect on some organs. In particular, it has been stated more than once that juices can cause gastritis and stomach ulcers. It is impossible to say with certainty that it is the consumption of natural juice that leads to such consequences. But there is still some harm from them.
Harm of natural juices
They contain one of the main enemies slim figure, and the whole body as a whole – sugar. Juices from some fruits, such as apples or grapes, can contain up to 1000 calories per liter and at the same time they also increase appetite. And if you examine the packages of packaged juices, you can make one unpleasant discovery: even 300 ml of the drink may contain 5-6 tablespoons of sugar. Some manufacturers specifically indicate on the packaging that the drink does not contain sugar. But in the production of such juice, substitutes could be used: aspartame, sucrose or fructose.
Frequent consumption of juices on an empty stomach is contraindicated for those who are predisposed to gastrointestinal diseases. The fact is that most juices contain acid, which provokes the development of colitis, gastritis and pancreatitis. It is also dangerous for sensitive teeth. Acid eats away the enamel, making it thinner. Therefore, dentists recommend drinking juices only through a straw.
The recommended amount of freshly squeezed juice per day is no more than 200 grams. This is quite enough to replenish the body’s need for vitamins and microelements. Because of high content biologically active substances, drinking too much juice can lead to stomach upset.
One of the most serious prohibitions is that you cannot take medications with any juice. As a result of a chemical reaction, the medicinal effect of the tablets is reduced, and in rare cases, this combination even leads to food poisoning.
In the store - choosing the “right” juice
Search natural juice Direct pressing among bagged ones is not worth it. Such juices are usually packaged only in glass containers, for example, in three liter jars. All other products, although they are tradename"juice" is not actually such a thing. It's more likely fruit drinks, which contain from 70 to 30% fruit puree.
Preparing freshly squeezed juice
It is worth choosing freshly squeezed juice based on the characteristics of the body and the effect that needs to be achieved. For example, citrus fruits contain large amounts of vitamin C, which helps cope with blues and depression in the off-season. They also help smokers, as they perfectly remove nicotine from the body. But people with gastrointestinal diseases are not recommended to consume citrus juice.
Apple juice is one of the most effective; it perfectly helps cope with vitamin deficiency. It saturates the body with antioxidants, iron and zinc. But freshly squeezed apple juice is not recommended for those who suffer from gastritis or pancreatitis - it will only worsen the disease.
Some useful tips
It is better to drink freshly squeezed juice half an hour before meals so that the body has time to absorb all the beneficial substances. You should not drink them with food - this can cause stomach upset.
You should not combine several fruit juices with seeds. But fruits with seeds, on the contrary, make excellent fruit mix.
It is important to consume the juice immediately after preparation, before the beneficial substances react with the air.
Today it is fashionable to be healthy, more and more people want to lead a healthy lifestyle, choose quality products, and try to give up bad habits. This is a great trend, however, few people know all the nuances. For example, juices from stores to supporters healthy eating should be excluded from your diet. But well-known fresh juices can even be harmful if prepared and consumed incorrectly. Which juice to choose for daily use? Why are juices from the store harmful? You will learn about this in this article.
Freshly squeezed juices in your diet. We all constantly hear about how healthy drinking freshly squeezed juices is, but in reality it is not beneficial for everyone. If the drink is made with apple, orange, lemon or cranberry, it can negatively affect the condition of a sore stomach. Also, one glass of freshly squeezed juice can contain several fruits, and this is a fairly large amount of fructose. People with diabetes should avoid juices based on grapes, mangoes, bananas and dates. This drink can spike your blood sugar levels, which is very dangerous. If you are not dieting, then also control the number of calories you consume. Make juices not from the sweetest fruits.
Drink juices through a straw. Any dentist will confirm that frequent use juices can negatively affect the condition of your teeth. There is no need to completely give up fruits; just, if you make juice for yourself, drink it through a straw. If you have weak enamel, then additionally rinse your mouth with warm water after drinking juices.
Benefits of juices. First of all, it is an excellent source of vitamins and antioxidants. If you start your day with freshly squeezed juice, you can get a lot of useful microelements and avoid the occurrence of vitamin deficiency. Every cell in our body needs fresh fruits and vegetables, some prefer to eat them in in its original form, and someone prepares all kinds of drinks and salads. If you do not remove the peel, you will retain fiber in the drink, which is so necessary and valuable for our body. It cleanses the intestines of toxins and helps improve the functioning of the stomach.
