Drinking Fruit Juice Can Increase Your Risk Of Death, So Time To Toss Out The OJ
Step away from the OJ. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), consuming sugary beverages can greatly increase your risk of death. In fact, researchers found that 100 percent real fruit juice poses an equal threat as soda.
After conducting a study with 13,440 U.S. adults under the age of 45, the study concluded that for each additional 12-ounce serving of fruit juice consumed there was a 24 percent greater risk of death. Whereas other sugar drinks were only associated with an 11 percent higher mortality risk.
Okay, but like, why are they so bad for us? Isn't the whole point of fruit juice that it's healthy? Apparently not. Here's the deal: It's all about how our bodies process the sugar. "Fruit juices are widely perceived as healthier option than [sugar-sweetened beverages]," the team of Harvard researchers wrote in JAMA. "However, they often contain as much sugar and as many calories as SSBs. Although the sugar in 100 [percent] fruit juice is naturally occurring rather than added, once metabolized, the biological response is essentially the same."
There's a *ton* of evidence that drinking sugar can cause a whole host of health issues like weight gain, tooth decay, Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, and heart disease. And while fruit juice does sometimes have beneficial nutrients-antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, for example-it's not worth it. Especially when whole fruit has more of it all and nearly 35 percent less sugar.
Next time you want a glass of apple juice...just eat an apple. It could save your life.
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