15 February 2010
Diabetes WA’s Director of Health Promotion, Diane Ledger, said that the health benefits of fruit drinks are outweighed by the excess kilojoules.
“While fruit drinks do have many of the essential vitamins and minerals we need each day, they contain very little of the fibre that is found in whole fruit. They are not only a concentrated source of fruit, but a concentrated source of sugar and energy,” Ms Ledger said.
Many popular fruit drinks and smoothies are found to have greater kilojoule content than Coca Cola.
Ms Ledger said that this result is not surprising and that both soft drinks and fruit juices have been linked to obesity.
“Many fruit drinks have added sugar, with some commercial fruit smoothies and juices even containing protein powders that contribute to excess kilojoules. Both soft drinks and fruit juices have been linked to obesity.”
“It is important for the community to be aware that, while fruit smoothies and fruit drinks sound healthy, many contain excess sugar and kilojoules which contribute to weight gain.
“Studies have shown that people who consume one fruit drink or energy drink a day are more likely to become overweight or obese than those who do not.
“Fruit drinks are also easy to consume and often people can overindulge in large quantities without feeling satisfied or full.”
Ms Ledger said that anyone trying to lose weight should follow a healthy eating plan, by eating two serves of fruit and five servings of vegetables a day, while limiting fruit drinks.
“Many consumers buy popular fruit smoothies and fruit drinks because they think they are healthy, but if they want to be healthy, Diabetes WA recommends that they consume two whole pieces of fruit every day to ensure they get the fibre, minerals and vitamins they need, along with water to stay hydrated.”
Anyone wanting to know more about achieving a healthy, balanced diet, can contact Diabetes WA on 1300 136 588.
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