Drinking fresh fruit is one of the most weighty recommendations in nutrition and in the fight against obesity. In fact, a daily consumption of at least five pieces of fruits and vegetables a day is recommended, being the proportion of 3 fruits and 2 vegetables.
Much has been said about the convenience or not of drinking juices, whether natural or processed. Can they be taken? Elena Pérez Montero, nutritionist at the QuirónSalud Madrid University Hospital, is clear: it is best to drink fresh fruit, much more refreshing. However, if you want to drink it in juice, it should be natural and homemade. But there is one very important thing to keep in mind: you have to keep the pulp and pay attention to the quantity.
It is not the same “to take an orange, with which you fill up, that to take a juice that contains three pieces, and that is less satiating. In this way you are tripling the contribution of vitamins but also that of calories ”.
The fact that drinking a juice cannot be equated with eating fruit occurs by two processes. The first of these is due to the simple movement of chewing, which makes nutrients easier to obtain and because it induces satiety before drinking. Hence, apart from the quantity, more calories are consumed. The second reason, according to Pérez, focuses on the fact that the modification of the food produces an oxidation, in addition to a break in the cells and the start-up of enzymes that begin to degrade the food.
In the case of processed juices, it is necessary to pay attention to their content of sugars, as well as other substances, and also to the quantity of fruits contained in the concentrate on which the drink is based. "The concentrate takes away the water from the food and leaves that base fundamentally of sugars, but also of pectins and some vitamins, although when concentrating it the majority is lost".
What about the gazpacho?
In the case of vegetable smoothies, such as gazpachos, Pérez explains that it is a cream or soup type preparation so it has a different connotation: “Although it is fresh fruit, a series of ingredients are mixed that interact with each other and that relationship can often be beneficial for some products. " In case you buy packaged it is important to pay attention to the ingredients because they can contain preservatives and high amounts of salt that can far exceed the recommended amounts.
Juice myths
Oxidation: The most common myth when it comes to juices is that you have to take it as soon as possible the better because if it does not oxidize. "It is true that it is oxidizing but it does not do so quickly," says Pérez, and this speed or slowness depends on the orange, its degree of maturation, and the time it has been harvested since all of this influences the quantity of vitamin C that contains the orange, for example.
Combinations: It is believed that there are foods that should not be mixed. This occurs, for example, with dairy. “Since most of the fruits are rather citrus, they could cut milk. But it is true that the stomach does the same. So except for intolerances in some people there should be no problem. " What is lost is the texture. In some cases, the mixtures, as occurs when combining the carrot and the orange, the contents of this vegetable and this fruit enhance the absorption of carotene.
Do not resort to lack of time
The short time resource may also influence the decision to choose a juice instead of a fresh fruit. "With the excuse of lack of time, what we do is give even less time to our health." For this reason, Pérez recommends opting for fresh food to benefit from its quality, vitamins and nutrients.