Fruit juices are considered healthy food, but this statement only applies to freshly squeezed juices. We can easily put packaged products in the harmful product category. Angela Tolmasova, an endocrinologist at SM-Clinic, told socialbites.ca.
“Packaged juices lack vitamins. They can be stored for months. This is a big advantage for the manufacturer, but not for us. “The high temperature used to prepare the juices for such long-term storage destroys all the vitamins in them,” he explained.
In addition, low quality fruits are used in the production of such juices.
“Packaged fruit juices contain chemicals (such as patulin) that preserve the taste while also eliminating possible unpleasant odors, indicating the use of low-quality product. “The chemicals can also be genotoxic,” the doctor added.
According to Tolmasova, fruit juices with “no preservatives” on the label are considered safe and healthy, but their preparation requires removal of oxygen (deoxygenation), which deteriorates the quality of the fruits and vegetables used and can even become harmful to health. .
“Freshly squeezed juices have a great taste and natural sweetness. In production, these goals are achieved by adding sugar and artificial flavors. “These components are harmful to the body, especially the kidneys, further straining their filtering capacity,” he said.
The doctor added that many additional ingredients such as preservatives, artificial flavors and others used in the production of packaged juices can affect many body systems, including the reproductive system of men and women, causing a decrease in fertility and libido.
“Packaged fruit juices have a higher calorie content than freshly squeezed juices due to added sugar. These extra calories can cause weight gain and abdominal obesity, which can lead to complications such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. “In addition, added sugars are excellent food for microorganisms, which can cause problems in the digestive system, which is also important,” he emphasized.
Packaged fruit juices also contain simple (easily digestible) carbohydrates, which immediately raise blood sugar levels when consumed. If this condition continues for a long time, it can eventually lead to diabetes.
“Freshly squeezed fruit juices are rich in fiber, while packaged fruit juices have no fiber at all. Some fruits have their most important nutrients in their skin, but packaged juices lack them. Even if manufacturers claim the contrary, the packaging contains only artificial elements, not natural fibers,” concluded doctor Tolmasova.
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