I would say it’s pretty much considered common knowledge that eating actual fruit is healthier than drinking sugary fruit juices.
But maybe we’ve been wrong all along? (Cue the shocking mystery movie sound clip.)
A new study published in American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that despite the fact that sugar is more prevalent in juices, our ability to actually absorb the nutrients available is better in liquid form.
Ralf Schweiggert, Julian Aschoff and their colleagues point out that oranges have carotenoids and flavonoids that have many benefits, including potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
“The researchers found that the production of pasteurized orange juice slightly lowered the levels of carotenoids and vitamin C,” Science Daily reports. “But at the same time, it significantly improved the carotenoid and vitamin C bioaccessibility — or how much the body can absorb and use. And contrary to conventional wisdom, although juicing oranges dramatically cut flavonoid levels, the remaining ones were much more bioaccessible than those in orange segments.”
So looks like fresh juice is actually better. Might as well eat an orange here and there, too, though. Can’t hurt.
[Photo from Flickr user Alain Bachellier]
