Study: Fruit Juice Could Be Making You Overweight
- If you drink 100 percent fruit juice because you think it’s good for you, you might want to think again. A new study has found drinking just one glass a day can lead to weight gain in children and adults.
- The problem with fruit juice is it takes several pieces of fruit to make just one glass of juice, says lead researcher Dr. Walter Willett, a Harvard professor. “Consuming fruit this way makes it so easy to overdose," Willett says. "For example, how often do we eat three oranges? Yet, a glass of OJ is about three oranges that can be consumed in a minute or two, and we can go back and have another. And that will add many calories and lead to a spike in blood glucose." In addition to obesity, the excess fruit can lead to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions, the study reveals.
- In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics is advising parents to avoid fruit juice entirely for children under 1. Kids between the ages of 1 and 3 should be restricted to just four ounces a day, while 4-to-6-year-olds should be limited to six ounces a day, per the AAP. Teens and adults should drink no more than eight ounces a day, according to national guidelines.
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