Drinking fruit juice every day is not good for the heart, new research shows.
A team of Australian researchers have found that regular consumption of fruit juice contributed to the development of central blood pressure and increased the risk of heart attack, angina and cognitive impairment, Express, UK reported.
Central blood pressure refers to pressure in aorta, the large artery into which the heart pumps blood to be distributed to different parts of the body.
Angina, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is a pain or discomfort in chest, arms, neck, jaw or back caused by insufficient supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
The findings contradict the popular belief that drinking fruit juice can help a person remain healthy. Researchers said that the high sugar content in fruit juices mainly contributed to this occurrence.
"Although juices may have essential vitamins, they commonly contain high amounts of sugar with negligible fibre," lead author of the study Dr Matthew Pase, from the Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn, Victoria, in Australia told Express UK.
"Thus, frequent fruit juice consumption may be contributing to excessive sugar intake, typical of the Western population, exacerbating the prevalence of hypertension [high blood pressure] and cardiovascular disease."
As part of the study, 160 adults completed a 12-month dietary recall questionnaire. Based on the frequency of their fruit juice intake, the participants were divided into three groups: rare, occasional and daily. People who consumed fruit juices regularly had 3-4 mmHg higher central systolic BP than those who took the drink occasionally.
"In conclusion, more frequent fruit juice consumption was associated with higher central BPs," the authors wrote.
The study has been reported in journal Appetite.
Though fruit juices have become part of the daily life, several researches in the past have highlighted hidden health risk associated with them. A study conducted by Glasgow University in UK showed that fruit juices, even the pure ones, contained as much sugar as fizzy drinks and increased the risk of diabetes, Daily Mail reported.
Additionally, an investigation conducted by The Sunday Telegraph in 2012 showed that most of the fruit juices in the market contained high levels of acid. Dentists warned that drinking juices and smoothies daily can damage the teeth as some of them contained acid levels equal to or higher than vinegar.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, too much intake of juices in childhood can increase the risk of tooth decay, obesity and other health problems such as flatulence and abdominal distention.
Here is a CDC report that shows calories in 12 ounces of different sugar- sweetened beverages:
- Fruit Punch – 192
- 100% apple juice- 192
- 100% orange juice-168
- Lemonade- 168
- Regular cola-136
