Fruit juices can be a convenient way to get fruit into your diet, since a 4-oz. serving of juice is considered a single fruit serving. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends if you're eating 2,000 calories a day, you should consume at least four servings of fruit every day. Different varieties of fruit juice, including apple, orange, grapefruit, pineapple and grape juices, can all supply nutrients to children and adults and can serve as a healthier substitute for sodas or other beverages.
Types
The healthiest fruit juices are made of 100 percent fruit and contain no added sugars. Freshly squeezed juices are more nutritious than canned or boxed varieties because nutrients, such as vitamin C, deteriorate over time after exposure to air. Fruit-flavored drinks containing less than 10 percent of fruit juice are not considered fruit juices and are often high in sugar and artificial flavorings that may be damaging to health.
Calories and Sugar
Fruit juices can be high in calories and sugar. Sweetened fruit juices, such as those sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, and fruit juice cocktails, are particularly prone to having high sugar and calorie levels. The sugars in fruit juices can also contribute to tooth decay, especially when consumed by young children using bottles or sippy cups that allow the juice to pool in the mouth.
Nutrients
Fruit juices that are made from 100 percent fruit typically contain the same levels of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals as the corresponding whole fruit. Orange, grapefruit and white grape juices contain high levels of vitamin C. Prune juice contains niacin, iron and zinc. Apricot nectar has high levels of beta-carotene, vitamin A, protein and iron. Tomato juice supplies potassium, protein, vitamin A and iron. Unfortunately, processing destroys some vitamin and mineral content. Some juices are fortified with vitamin C, calcium or other nutrients after undergoing processing.
Fiber
Fruit juices do not contain the levels of fiber found in whole fruit. Fiber is important for digestive tract health and cancer prevention, so if the majority of your fruit intake is from juice, include other fiber sources in your diet. Choosing juices that retain some fiber content can also help you get the recommended 25 to 35g of fiber per day. Prune juice has some fiber, although it is still lower than whole prunes. Juices that contain pulp or sediment also have fiber.
Recommendations
MayoClinic.com cites the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics of not allowing babies to have fruit juice until they are over 6 months. Babies over 6 months old can have up to 4 oz. of 100 percent juice daily and children between 1 and 6 years old can have 6 oz. daily. Children over 7 can drink 12 oz. of fruit juice every day.
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