It is by now well known that carbonated drinks are bad for your health. In fact, there are many scientific studies that demonstrate that the sugar they contain leads to an increase in the risk of premature death. A new study reveals that even 100% natural fruit juices contain the same amount of sugar as sugary drinks and that, therefore, if drunk in excess they are equally harmful. It was a survey carried out by a group of US researchers from Emory University in Atlanta (Georgia) and Cornell University in Ithaca (New York), who, for the first time, compared 100% fruit juices with soft drinks. The results were published in the scientific journal Jama (May 2019).
SUGAR IN SOFT DRINKS ASSOCIATED WITH CORONARY RISK
To do so, researchers analyzed the eating habits, in particular those regarding the intake of sugary drinks and fruit juices, of almost 13,440 American adults, over 45 years of age. During the 6-year observation period, 1,000 deaths from different causes and 168 deaths from coronary heart disease were recorded. It turned out that those who drank a large glass (350 ml) of fruit juice every day saw a 24% increase in their mortality risk, compared to those who didn’t drink any. Meanwhile, for those who drank sugary drinks every day, mortality risk increased “only” by 11%.
Previous studies have associated consuming lots of fruit juice with an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes, compared to eating whole fruit. Likewise, the consumption of sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has already been associated with dyslipidemia, obesity and diabetes, all considered risk factors for coronary heart disease. At any rate, further longer-term investigations are needed to confirm this preliminary study’s observations.
WHOLE FRUIT IS BETTER THAN FRUIT JUICE
Sugary drinks, soft drinks, energy drinks and 100% fruit juices themselves are among the main causes of obesity and cardio-vascular problems. Furthermore, in most cases, fruit juices contain an amount of sugar that is the maximum amount that a 4–6-year-old child should not consume per day. Although fruit juices are still widely regarded as a healthier choice than sugary drinks, they often contain the same amount of sugar and provide the same calorie intake as SSBs. Even if it is sugar already found in fruit, our body metabolizes it in the same way it does added sugar.
The WHO, as a matter of fact, considers sugar naturally found in fruit juices in the same way it does added sugars in food products. Hence the importance of setting up communication campaigns, marketing restrictions and taxation even for 100% fruit juices, especially when children are the final consumers.
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