Heating fruit juice, drinking it on an empty stomach, or taking it with medicine or milk can be harmful to your health.
Fruit juice provides large amounts of antioxidants, vitamins C, A, B1, B6, K, folate, potassium, magnesium… supporting metabolism and adding energy to the body. According to nutritionist Nguyen Thi Thuong, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, some of the mistakes below can cause fruit juice to not be effective and even cause harm.
Drink juice when hungry
This habit can cause digestive problems affecting the lining of the stomach and duodenum because some fruits contain high amounts of acid. This drink also contains high sugar content. Drinking it on an empty stomach can cause a sudden increase in blood sugar, then a rapid decrease, leading to fatigue.
The ideal time to drink fruit juice is 20-30 minutes after breakfast. At this time, enzymes in the body increase activity, metabolism, and nutrients are absorbed well. Drinking juice rich in vitamin C also increases the absorption of iron in food. Using juice between meals to stabilize blood sugar or after exercise helps replenish glycogen stores.
Drink before bed
This can spike blood sugar levels, disrupting sleep. Some acidic juices like orange or grapefruit juice can easily cause acid reflux or heartburn.
Warm up before drinking
Under the effect of high temperature, the juice degenerates, destroying vitamin C, B1 (thiamine), B9 (folic acid)… If you want to drink warm juice, you should only warm it at low temperature (not too high). 40-50 degrees Celsius).
Take with milk or medicine
The tartaric acid content in drinks reacts with the amount of protein in milk, hindering the body’s absorption process and causing digestive disorders. People drank milk and fruit juice at least 30 minutes apart. Some fruit juices are not safe to use with medication such as grapefruit, orange, grape, carrot, pomegranate, celery juice… Before combining juice with medication, consult your doctor. or pharmacist.
Add sugar to the juice
All fruits contain a certain amount of sugar that is good for health. Adding sugar to drinks increases the risk of metabolic disorders such as overweight, obesity, diabetes…
Drinking pure juice is beneficial for health. Illustration photo: Thanh Trung
Use fruit juice to lose weight
This drink is nutritionally unbalanced because it mainly contains carbohydrates, protein content, and little lipid. Replacing main meals with fresh fruit juice can help you lose weight in a short time but your calorie intake is limited, slowing down your body’s metabolism.
Protein deficiency causes the body to lose muscle strength and anemia due to cells not receiving enough oxygen, leading to weakness. Healthy fats such as omega-3, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) maintain energy, balance hormones, and dissolve vitamins A, E, D, K. Deficiency of this substance causes the body to reduce resistance.
Drink filtered water instead
Filtered water maintains water balance in the body without containing calories, sugar or additives. While most fruit juices provide a certain amount of sugar. Drinking fruit juice instead of water every day will cause overweight, obesity, diabetes, increased blood fat… High amounts of fructose can stimulate the process of creating new fat in the liver, changing the sugar microflora. intestines, not good for the digestive system.
Drink juice instead of eating whole fruit
Fruit juice usually does not contain fiber because the fruit pulp is removed during the juicing process. This drink also contains a higher amount of sugar than when eaten whole, easily affecting insulin levels and weight if abused. A balanced combination of drinking fruit juice and eating whole fruits is good for your health.
Do not combine fruits and vegetables
According to nutritionist Thuong, combining 70% vegetables and 30% fruit can ensure the supply of many vitamins and antioxidants to the body. However, you should not combine starchy tubers (potatoes, corn) with fruits that are high in sugar because they can cause fermentation in the stomach, leading to flatulence and bloating.
Drink too fast
This leads to a rapid increase in sugar levels, causing a surge in insulin, which can cause a sudden drop in energy afterward. Drinking juice slowly is good for digestion, maintains stable blood sugar levels, and promotes hydration (adding water to organs, tissues, and cells).
Squeeze a lot at once to drink gradually
Oxidation reduces the nutritional value of the juice after a while. You should only squeeze the right amount of drink and use it within two hours after pressing.
Store in a plastic box for a long time
You should not store fruit juice in plastic containers for a long time because plastic cannot completely prevent contact with air. Therefore, juice is susceptible to rapid oxidation, reducing its nutritional value. Many poor quality plastics contain BPA (Bisphenol A) which can contaminate food with toxic chemicals. This chemical can cause endocrine disruption and many health problems, according to nutritionist Thuong.