When it comes to juices, there are two camps – those who believe that they are a healthy part of the diet, and those who see them as junk food. The truth is that juice can be both healthy and unhealthy, depending on the type of juice and how it is consumed.
The Good: Fruit juices provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help boost your overall health. For example, orange juice is a great source of vitamin C and potassium, while apple juice contains polyphenols which have antioxidant properties. As long as you are drinking fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed juices with no added sugar or preservatives, then it can be considered a healthy beverage.
The Bad: Processed juices are usually loaded with added sugar, artificial sweeteners and other chemicals that can be detrimental to your health. These juices often lack the vitamins and minerals found in fresh juice, so they don’t provide any real nutritional value. Furthermore, drinking too much of these sugary beverages can lead to weight gain and other problems such as diabetes.
Conclusion: Ultimately, whether or not juice is healthy depends on the type of juice you’re drinking and how you’re consuming it. If you’re buying fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed juices with no added sugar or preservatives, then they can be considered a healthy part of your diet. However if you’re drinking processed juices with added sugars and artificial sweeteners then they should be avoided as much as possible.