Fruit juice is a drink that is made from fruits, either by squishing, crushing, or mixing them. Fruit juice can be made from one kind of fruit, like orange juice, or from more than one kind of fruit, like apple and cranberry juice. Fruit juice can be drunk as a drink, or used as a part of cooking, baking, or making cocktails.
Fruit juice is good for you, as it can give you vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that are in fruits. Some of the good things about fruit juice are:
- It can make your immune system stronger and help you avoid getting sick, as it has a lot of vitamin C, which is important for fighting germs and healing cuts.
- It can lower the chance of heart problems, as it can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and swelling, because of the antioxidants and polyphenols that are in fruits.
- It can stop constipation and help digestion, as it has fiber, which can help the food and waste move through the guts.
- It can hydrate the body and stop dehydration, as it has water and electrolytes, which can help balance the water and salt in the body.
- It can make the mood and brain function better, as it can give glucose, which is the main energy for the brain, and flavonoids, which can make memory and learning better.
However, fruit juice also has some bad things, such as:
- It can make the blood sugar levels go up and cause diabetes, as it has fructose, which is a kind of sugar that can be quickly taken in by the body and raise the insulin levels.
- It can make you gain weight and be obese, as it has a lot of calories and little fiber, which can make you feel less full and eat more food.
- It can harm the teeth and cause tooth decay, as it is sour and can wear away the enamel and cause holes.
- It can mix with some medicines and cause bad effects, such as grapefruit juice, which can mess with the breaking down of some drugs and make them more harmful.
Therefore, fruit juice should be drunk in small amounts and as a part of a balanced diet. It is suggested to drink no more than one cup of fruit juice per day, and to pick 100% natural and not sweetened fruit juice, or to make it at home with fresh fruits. It is also good to drink fruit juice with a straw, and to wash the mouth with water after drinking it, to protect the teeth from the sourness. Fruit juice can be a tasty and healthy drink, but it should not take the place of eating whole fruits, which have more fiber and less sugar.
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