Helpful plant compounds in fruit juice
Helpful plant compounds in fruit juice
1 min read
Besides familiar nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, folate, and calcium, 100% fruit juice is bursting with lesser known but equally helpful plant compounds. Examples are polyphenols, carotenoids, and pectin. But how exactly do these plant superheroes contribute to health?
It has a lot to do with something called ‘bioavailability’ – a term that refers to how much of a nutrient or polyphenol is available for absorption in the gut and use by the body.
A 2017 study provides a good example. It involved giving 20 healthy adults only vegetable/fruit juices for three days. This was followed by 14 days of their usual diet. The researchers found an association between significant changes in the gut bacteria following the juice diet and weight loss among the participants[1]. Could this be due to polyphenols?
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are found naturally in a range of plants, including fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices, tea, cocoa, and wine. Flavonoids are just one type of polyphenol and there is even a new dietary recommendation for them as their consumption is linked with heart health[2]!
Carotenoids
Carotenoids are found in yellow and orange vegetables and fruits, such as oranges, peppers and mango. Certain carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin are converted to vitamin A in the intestine. Vitamin A is needed for essential functions such as growth, immunity, and eye health.
Pectin
Pectin is a type of soluble fibre found in vegetables and fruits, such as apples and citrus fruits. It’s a polysaccharide, which means it’s a long chain of sugars that the gut doesn’t digest. This can be beneficial for the so-called 'friendly' bacteria living in our gut.
A daily glass of juice
According to studies, the plant compounds found in fruits and their juices support a healthy gut[3] and could be helpful for our hearts2. Some also have antioxidant effects, helping to protect body cells. That's why having a daily glass of 100% fruit juice gives you much more than vitamin C.
[1] Henning et al. (2017) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5438379/
[2] Crowe-White et al. (2022) https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/13/6/2070/6747118
[3] Yin et al. (2020) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7678755/