Real foods come in forms that nature provides; nature does not provide fruit juices. Humans were never intended to drink large amounts of calories in liquid form. Fruit juices are low in nutrients and high in sugar. Bad enough for adults, fruit juices are a disaster for infants and children. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatricians is advising parents that infants who drink a lot of fruit juice may become malnourished as well as being at increased risk for tooth decay and other diseases.
Children are the largest consumers of fruit juice, and that means they are consuming massive amounts of sugar. This, in turn, is contributing to increasing levels of pediatric obesity and diabetes. In other words, fruit juice is putting our children at risk for serious health problems. Here is what happens. The sugar in fruit juice is quickly absorbed into the body. This creates major disturbances in the balance of insulin, as well as other hormones, minerals, and neurotransmitters.
In short, drinking fruit juice throws the body into biochemical chaos. These imbalances then lead to depressed immunity and higher risk of infections, ADHD, allergies, and other problems. In addition, many commercial fruit juice drinks are not 100 percent fruit juice. Many products contain lots of extra sugar, plus artificial flavors and colors, making them even worse choices.
What should children be drinking? For infants, it should be mother’s milk. After weaning, pure water and freshly prepared, organic vegetable juices are the best choices. Substances like cow milk and processed fruit juice were never intended for human consumption – most especially not by children. If you’re craving fruit, choose fresh, organically grown, whole fruits, not fruit juices.
