DRINKING JUICE INCREASES WEIGHT GAIN, HAVE FRESH FRUIT INSTEAD

Do not drink your calories is good advice if you are trying to watch your weight, even if it is 100% fruit juice that you are drinking.  In a recent study, that appeared in the journal Obesity, researchers gave 34 young men and women 20% of their usual caloric intake (400-550 calories) per day in the form of either solid fruits and vegetables or fruit juice.   Half of the participants were overweight or obese and half were at a healthy weight.  The solid food treatment consisted of 6-8 servings per day made up of 10% vegetables, 35% fresh fruit, and 55% dried fruit.  The juice treatment consisted of all fruit juices. 

After eight weeks on the added solid fruits and vegetable, the participants who were healthy weight had not gained any weight.  The researchers hypothesized that they cut back on their other intake when they were eating additional fruits and vegetables.  However the healthy weight persons on the added juice diet gained 3 pounds.  The weight outcomes for the overweight and obese participants were even worse.  They gained 4 pounds after 8 weeks on the added fruits and vegetables diet and gained 5 pounds while on the added fruit juice diet.   Why did the overweight persons gain weight on both diets?  It may have been because these persons continued to eat their regular diet in addition to the fruits and vegetables that researchers gave them.

What to do:  Eat whole fruits and vegetables instead of drinking the juice.  Research has repeatedly found that foods that we drink do not fill us up so we usually consume these calories in addition, not instead, of the solid foods that we eat.  Even though many juices come from 100% fruit sources, they are still high in calories and natural fruit sugars.  Additionally, much of the fruit given in this study was in the form of dried fruit which is more calorie dense than fresh fruits.   Small amounts of dried fruit can also add up quickly in calories.  While diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with better weight outcomes it is still important to remember than when you are increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, opt for these foods instead of other higher calorie foods that you eat, not in addition to your regular diet.