One Glass of OJ A Day Could Lead To Diabetes
You heard me right. Most of us think that a glass of juice was the right way to start a healthy day. You can’t believe everything you see on television. In reality, while three servings of fruit a day reduces your risk of diabetes by 18%, a glass of fruit juice raises your risk by 25%! The same holds true for the fruit-flavored water.
A glass of fruit juice is not a serving of fruit
Scientists from Harvard Medical School say, “Our findings of a positive association of fruit juice intake with hazard of diabetes suggest that caution should be observed in replacing some beverages with fruit juice in an attempt to provide healthier options.
“Moreover the same caution applies to the recommendation that 100 percent fruit juice be considered as a serving of fruit.” Juices do provide a good dose of vitamin C but it comes with a very high dose of sugar.”
Don’t believe everything you see on TV
The reason for the increased diabetes risk associated with drinking fruit juice is the lack of any fiber, in combination with the high sugar content, which leads to dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels.
Latinos and African-Americans should be particularly aware of the danger posed here because they consume more fruit juices than non-Latino whites by a margin of 2:1. This has resulted in fruit juice manufacturers spending millions of dollars directly targeting Latino and African-American children with attractive television advertisements to “hook” kids on these sweet drinks.
Moderation is vital
The take home message is fruit juice is okay if you watch how much you drink.
Once a week is better than once a day — and once a month is even better! Rather, you should aim to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables for overall good health. Moderation is vital!
Jeff Kreisberg is a patient advocate, educator, scientist author of the book “Taking Control of Your Healthcare,” and, until his retirement, a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Jeff also blogs regularly on health issues on his website, Taking Control of Your Healthcare. Follow him on Twitter: @kreisberg
[Photo By Leonid Mamchenkov]References:
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1038079/Just-ONE-glass-orange-juice-day-make-obese-AND-increase-risk-diabetes-says-research.html
- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/business/media/27adco.html
