Here’s a scenario, a teenage kid is offered a glass of fresh orange juice and a glass of Pepsi/Coca Cola. What do you think he would choose? You guessed it right, 9 out of 10 children would choose the glass of soda over fresh fruit juice. While everyone knows that aerated sugary drinks are harmful in the long run, the taste and composition makes it addictive and irresistible.
The bitter truth is that these drinks are made in such a way that you keep coming back for more and more. Quite often, people even drink it to quench their thirst when they feel dehydrated. These drinks are made up of carbonated water with lots of sugar (or sugar substitutes) and preservatives which is not good for your health. Apart from adding a lot of unhealthy calories, the nutritional value is close to zero. And they can be heavy on the pocket too.
On the other hand fresh fruit juices are healthy and at the same time tasty. They are filled with vitamins and minerals that may lower your risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. For the maximum benefit, blend the whole fruit in a blender rather than just squeezing the juice out. This will help retain the fibre and nutrients. You can also substitute plain water by naturally infusing it with fruit.
Why is fresh fruit preferred to fizzy sugary drinks? To summarize:
- They are fresh and natural
- Have no added preservatives or other harmful ingredients
- Contain natural sweetness and other nutrients
- Extremely beneficial for the body
- Great way to include fruits in your diet
Note: If given a choice, eat your fruit rather than drink them to cut the number of calories. And definitely say no to packaged fruit juices.
