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Is Fruit Juice Good for You?

by | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 | Foods, Fruits, Fruits & Veggies

Which is better, juicing or blending fruits? Which offers more benefits? Chewing a whole apple, apple sauce, or apple juice?  A study revealed that juices that had been prepared by blending whole fruits had stronger antioxidant activities and contained larger amounts of phenolic compounds than juices that had been prepared by juicing the flesh fraction of the fruit.1

Systematic Reviews on Juices and Health

A systematic review of juices suggests that low to moderate consumption of fruit juice is not associated with risk of chronic disease.2 Except for fiber, 100% fruit juice (with no additive or extra sugar) in general has a similar nutritional, but not indentical, value as whole fruit. The study compared macronutrients and micronutrients but failed to measure various phytochemicals. The authors of this study did not conclude that consumption of juices over whole fruit offers any superior health advantages. Although some evidence suggests that 100% fruit juices–in moderation–could protect from cardiovascular disease, there is no conclusive proof that this is so. This review confirms a prior systematic review published in 2018:  There are no proven benefits from juicing over consuming whole fruits, and low to moderate consumption of fruit juices does not increase the risk of disease in healthy people.3 There is some evidence that the consumption of 100% fruit juice in children younger than five increases the risk of obesity.4

Missing in Action

Whole fruits contain anti-inflammatory polyphenols. Fresh 100% fruit juice contains significant amounts of these beneficial polyphenols. Recent studies suggest that use of the fruit peel can increase the amount of total polyphenols and flavonoids in the juice products. While some phytochemicals remain in juice, others are lost. Many beneficial phytochemicals also lie very, very close to the peel. Thus, the removal of peels from juicing or just peeling fruit may result in a significant loss of constituents beneficial to human health.5 6 Ultrafiltration (UF) process filters the pomace and reduces the content of antioxidant substances in the juice. Pasteurization also reduces the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances in many commercial juices. Juicing effectively removes all the carotenoids.7

Juicing removes most of the fiber. Let’s remember soluble fiber has anti-inflammatory effects. In one study, the ingestion of the particular processed food meal tested in this study decreases postprandial energy expenditure by nearly 50% compared with the whole food meal of equal calories. This reduction in daily energy expenditure has potential implications for diets comprised heavily of polyunsaturated fats and their associations with obesity.8

An observational study found an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals who consumed fruit juices, whereas whole fruits were associated with a reduced risk. For example, greater consumption of specific whole fruits, particularly blueberries, grapes, and apples, was significantly associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, increased consumption of fruit juice was associated with a higher risk.9 Research indicates that the type and quantity of carbohydrates consumed can influence the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For example, one  meta‐analysis has shown that high dietary fiber consumption reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20–30%,10

Moreover, the difference in the viscosity of foods is also a significant factor affecting postprandial blood glucose dynamics. Fluids pass through the stomach to the intestine more rapidly than solids, even if nutritional content is similar. For example, fruit juices lead to more rapid and larger changes in serum levels of glucose and insulin than whole fruits do.9  11 Juices have negligible amounts of fiber. A meta‐analysis has shown that high dietary fiber consumption reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20–30%.12 13 The type and quantity of carbohydrate that is ingested can modify the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The Satiety Factor

People also tend to feel more satisfied when they eat whole fruits compared with when they drink the juice equivalent.14 15

Researchers compared whole apple, applesauce, and apple juice. Which form of the same food would improve satiety?  Consumption of a whole apple increased satiety more than applesauce or apple juice. Adding naturally occurring levels of fiber to juice did not enhance satiety. These results suggest that solid fruit affects satiety more than pureed fruit or juice, and that eating fruit at the start of a meal can reduce energy intake.16 Then, too, randomized controlled trials suggest that the body registers liquid sugar and solid sugar calories differently, and that liquid sugar calories lead to greater ad libitum energy intake than do solid sugar calories.17 18

Eating whole fruits and vegetables is usually better than juicing. Why? Chewing food slowly has multiple benefits in compared to drinking food because chewing increases satiety. Studies show that obese people generally chew less than lean individuals do. For example, chewing food, as we mentioned in the chapter on digestion, increases the satiety hormone, glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1). Not only does this extra boost of glucagon-like peptide 1 promote satiety, it encourages the release of insulin from the pancreas, increases the volume of cells in the pancreas that produce insulin (beta cells), and reduces the release of glucagon. Chewing our meal thoroughly reduces energy intake from it. Chewing food slowly decreases the hunger ghrelin more than consuming food rapidly. So one is more satisfied.19 Chewing whole fruits and vegetables is a more important strategy in losing undesirable weight and improving blood glucose levels in those who have the metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.

Most commercial juices are bottled in plastic containers BPA, an endocrine disruptor and an obesogen. This substance leaches into the juice from the plastic.20

100% Fruit Juice and Cardiovascular Diseases

Up to 8 cups of 100% juice per week appears to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a prospective cohort study. Which is better for cardiovascular health? Fruit juice or whole fruit consumption?  Currently, the consumption of whole fruit should be preferred because the evidence of the health benefits of fruit is more conclusive.21

100% Fruit Juice Consumption & Cancer

A meta-analysis of 16 prospective cohort studies on 100% fruit juice reported that each 250 mL/day increase in fruit juice intake was associated with a 31% increased risk of overall cancer:  a 22% higher risk of melanoma, a 2% higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma, and a 28% higher risk of thyroid cancer.22 Correlation does not prove causation, but indicates a risk factor. Since some of the studies included in this meta-analysis had low to moderate evidence, more studies are warranted on this copy.

Natural juices from different fruits may indeed have different effects on cancer risk. For example, pomegranate juice seems to lower the risk of prostate cancer.23 Therefore, since the types of antioxidants in and the glycemic index of fruit juices vary, the influence of various juices on cancer might be different.

Since juices only contain negligible amounts of fiber, it should be quite concerning to those at risk for cancer. The average adult consumes an average of 15 grams of fiber per day when they should be consuming 25-40 grams to lower their risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other pro-inflammatory diseases.  The inclusion of a moderate consumption of freshly cold-pressed juice in one’s diet can boost the antioxidant compounds. However, relying solely on a juice fast (which lacks dietary fiber) f to combat cancer raises questions. I would like to see scientific evidence rather than just anecdotal case histories, as there are multiple confounding factors involved in case histories.

Juices and Dental Health

Fruit juices are acidic and can damage tooth enamel. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) studied the effects of commercially processed juices versus freshly squeezed juices on oral pH levels. The study found that consuming processed juices resulted in more acidic saliva after 15 minutes than consuming fresh juices and whole fruits. While the oral pH tended to remain neutral 30 minutes after consuming processed juices, it returned to neutral just 15 minutes after consuming freshly squeezed juices. This indicates that processing affects the rate at which oral pH recovers, and processed juices carry a higher risk of causing tooth decay compared to freshly squeezed juices.24

Conclusions:

For most individuals, incorporating ½ to 1 cup of freshly made fruit juice into their daily diet can offer several benefits, such as a boost in antioxidants and certain phytochemicals. However, systematic reviews indicate that fruit juice does not provide more health benefits than whole fruits. While 100% fruit juice has considerable nutritional value, it is still not as nutrient-dense as whole fruits. Fruit juices with added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup are harmful to health. On the positive side, substituting 100% fruit juice for sugary drinks can enhance cardiovascular health.

The nutritional content of processed fruit juice does not match that of natural foods, particularly when sweeteners are added. Juicing preserves some healthful phytochemicals, but loses others. Because of its minimal fiber content, drinking juice is less satisfying than eating whole fruit. 25 The synergistic effects of polyphenols and fiber in whole fruit benefit the gut microbiome by acting as prebiotics and producing short-chain fatty acids that reduce inflammation.26 Juice bottled in plastic containers has the obesogen BPA.

While a low to moderate amount of 100% of fruit juice may be fine and even boost the antioxidant content in blood, individuals who have obesity, cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, gout, and non-fatty liver disease would do better just consuming whole fruits. Modest consumption of low-glycemic fruit juices may be acceptable for individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or type 2 diabetes.27 If obesity is an issue, consuming whole fruits is superior to including fruit juice in one’s diet. One serving of fruit juice is 1/2 cup.

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

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