Is it possible for juice to be bad for you? Find out on today's Moment of Science: To Juice or Not to Juice?
Nutrition
Juice may be tasty, but it's not really that nutritious. While orange juice is an excellent source of vitamin, it doesn't contain a significant amount of other minerals and vitamins. What's more, excessive juice consumption can cause all kinds of problems. This is especially troubling when you keep in mind that children are the ones drinking most of the juice in this country.
You see, when you drink juice, you're getting mainly water and carbohydrates. And if you drink too much, the high carbohydrate content can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Plus, juice has as many calories as soda, and, like soda, has been linked to the obesity epidemic raging in our country.
Milking The Proble
Also, for children, juice often crowds out milk because it tastes better. Children who don't drink enough milk are more likely to suffer from calcium and vitamin D deficiencies. In fact, in some parts of the country, rickets, which is caused by vitamin D deficiency, is on the rise. Finally, keeping a juice bottle in your mouth for a long time can promote tooth decay.
The key to juice intake is moderation. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children under six should not drink more than six ounces of juice a day, and that older children shouldn't drink more than twelve ounces. All children should be encouraged to go straight to the source and eat whole fruit, which contains more nutrients than juice, plus other good stuff, like fiber.
