fruit juice

Why don’t my grandkids drink fruit juice?  It can be fresh, organic, natural, biodynamic or it can detoxify. It has to be healthy.  I feel guilty because my fridge is not full of fruit juice to give to grandkids.

I am currently helping two of my grandkids play tennis. In tennis we use the word juice. A quick look tells me juice in tennis has nothing to do with health and drinks. It comes from the French words deux du jeu which means two points away from winning the game.  Nothing to do with fruit juice. Not positive or negative.

But after a hit of tennis should I give them a drink of fruit juice.

These are the positives of fruit juice. It tastes good; is convenient; is cheap and readily accessible; is culturally acceptable; is free of bacteria and toxins.   

It is healthier than soft drink. It comes from fruit and fruit is unambiguously good.

Contains plant micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants and fibre.

The sucrose in soft drinks is worse.  Sucrose is much more cariogenic (causes caries) than the fructose in fruit juice. Strep mutans which is a major cause of dental decay only eats sucrose. 

No epidemiological evidence fruit juice causes decay. Recent studies from the USA show that children who drink fruit juice do not suffer more decay.  I worked more than 30 years as a dentist. I saw a direct relationship between soft drink or lollies and decay.  People who started or stopped imbibing lollies or soft drinks and decay came or went. I never saw the same relationship between fruit juice and decay.   

Fruit juice is not perfect. There are negatives.

High in carbohydrates.  The carbohydrates in fruit juice can cause dental decay. Bought fruit juice or fruit syrup or elixir may contain added sugar which will cause dental decay.

Fruit juice in a bottle given to a child to aid sleep results in bottle caries.

Fruit juice is acidic. Liquid acid leads to the outer enamel of a tooth being eroded away. This loss of enamel is permanent and leads to tooth sensitivity.  I have seen this problem more commonly in adults. I have seen adults who have purchased a juicer followed by dental erosion and tooth sensitivity.

Fruit juice is low in fibre compared to fruit. Fibre will make you feel full for longer and is very good for gut health.

Calories. Every soft drink and every fruit juice varies but on average they contain about the same number of calories.  At present obesity, has overtaken smoking, as the biggest preventable health problem in Australia.

Which way shall I go?

If I want my grandkids to have the nutrients and fibre and juice of an orange I will give them an orange to eat. To get an orange and separate it into juice and pulp and then throw away the pulp and drink the juice doesn’t make sense.  I will encourage my grandkids to eat fruit. I want them to develop the habit of eating fresh fruit. To learn how to feel hungry; see a fruit bowl; peel or cut a piece of fruit; enjoy eating fruit and then dispose of the peel or core into a recycling bin.

If I ever see them drinking fruit juice I will try and get them to use a straw.  I will give them a reusable metallic straw. I will also give them fruit juice with food.

 I will try and get them to drink water or plain (dairy or non-dairy) milk.  Or dilute the milk with water. Or if feeling magnanimous I will add some flavour but never sugar.  Never honey.  Nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, ginger, chocolate or pureed fruit.

If their parents decide a juicer is a healthy option I will recommend eating a spoonful of fresh plain yoghurt after drinking freshly made juice. The yoghurt will help prevent sensitivity and dental erosion.

I know they will notice the color. Gertrude loves anything pink. Bruce only notices who is getting the most.

Fruit juice is not good enough to be a good, heathy food. It’s not bad enough to be an anticipated birthday treat.