HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR SUMMER DRINK

As the debate continues, over how fruit and vegetables should best be consumed, we examine some key factors to be taken into account while choosing what you sip on this summer, and indeed through the rest of the year.

Summer is a time of parties and fun, and you might be deceived into thinking that you are making a very healthy choice in pouring yourself a glass of packaged or canned juice while out at a party.

Here’s what you’re getting in that package:

•          Low fibre and high fructose product, which is related to insulin resistance.

•          Manufactured to be stored up to one year; entailing a process involving heat treatment that leeches out all the vitamins.

•          Probably labelled ‘no preservatives’, involving a process through which oxygen is removed from the fruit, thus affecting their quality.

•          Enhanced by artificial flavours and sugar, both of which are not good for your system. Added sugar is bad for diabetics and weight watchers.

•          High in calories compared to fresh juices made at home.

Now let’s take a look at juice extracted from fruit and/or vegetables:

•          Rich in nutrients and enzymes

•          Contains dietary fibre which aids in digestion

•          Kale, apple, spinach, pineapple and carrots – popular juice choices – all contain soluble fibre. As you know, fibre is very good for your body.

Another popular choice today are smoothies – made by blending fruit, vegetable and liquid into a puree. The good thing about a smoothie, is that you derive from it all the nutrients that you would get from eating fruit or vegetables, in a conveniently ‘drinkable’ form. Perhaps the best thing about a smoothie, particularly in the hot summer months, is that it can replace a meal in terms of vitamins, minerals, fibre, etc., while keeping your system cool.

Choose to make your smoothies at home rather than ordering them from commercial establishments, as they might have additives like almond milk with artificial ingredients, and fruit powders instead of real fruit.Remember, consuming raw plants is the closest you can get to deriving energy directly from the sun.

Advantages of fresh fruit/vegetable juices and smoothies:

•          Convenient for people who experience difficulty chewing.

•          They form a meal on the go and are light on the stomach.

•          An excellent alternative when one has no appetite for food.

•          A great nutrient source for babies and children who otherwise may not want vegetables.

•          Believed to prevent acne in teenagers

It’s important to consult your doctor or dietician from time to time, as fresh fruit/juice might not be the ideal choice for everyone, particularly diabetics who need to carefully monitor their sugar intake, even when consuming natural foods.