Better overall diet quality seen in fruit juice consumers

The research focused on two large national diet and nutrition surveys in the UK and France to examine the diets of fruit juice consumers and non-consumers. Although total sugar and calorie intakes tended to be higher in fruit juice consumers, intakes of several nutrients including fibre, potassium, vitamin C and folate were higher than for non-consumers of fruit juice.

In addition, fruit juice consumers in both France and the UK had a lower average body mass index (BMI) than non-consumers. This has been seen in other studies, including from America, suggesting that drinking fruit juice is not a marker of obesity risk. Fruit juice consumers in the UK and France also ate more fruit and vegetables and were more likely to achieve the 5 a day recommendation.

Although this study can’t prove that fruit juice is driving the improved diet quality because it is observational, not experimental, it does suggest that fruit juice is a marker for healthier diets and does not appear to influence body mass index.

Reference

Dicklin et al. (2022) Fiber and Micronutrient Intakes Among Fruit Juice Consumers and Non-consumers in the United Kingdom and France: Modeling the Effects of Consumption of an Orange Pomace Juice Product. J Hum Nutr Diet. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12995.