Fruit Drinks vs. Soda: Is There a Difference?
Most of us perceive juice as being healthier than soda. However, both beverages contain about the same amount of calories. An 8-ounce serving of juice or soda typically contains about 120 to 150 calories, primarily from sugar!
There are some small benefits to juices over sodas. Juice may contain some vitamins and minerals. These nutrients occur naturally or are added during the manufacturing process, such as in orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamins A and D. However, fortified vitamins and minerals that are added into the juices are often synthetic and can end up being as toxic to your system as the chemicals that compose soda!
Next time you are in the grocery store walk down the juice aisle and compare the percentages of juice in different brands. Even 100% juice does not match the level of nutrition in whole fruit because it's higher in calories and sugars and lacks the fiber to satisfy appetite. So while eating an apple or orange is filling, drinking juice offers calories without satiety.
Generally high-sugar drinks such as soda and fruit drinks do not create a sense of fullness, so we continue to eat food in addition to drinking empty calories. Studies have shown that shildren and adolescents who primarily drink soda and juice are at an increased risk of weak bones and osteoporosis. Lastly, the caffeine in sodas acts as a diuretic, which can cause dehydration.
The consequences of consuming sodas, juice, and milk-based sugary beverages are added calories and added refined sugar that increases the risk of diabetes and weight gain. At the end of the day, calories are calories and refined sugar, whether added into juice or soda, has the same bad effect on your body. The best thing to do is avoid these low nutrient high caloric drinks. Make your own smoothies to increase your fruit and vegetable consumption and stay hydrated with water.
