Scientists Find This 'Healthy' Drink Is Linked to Obesity

Scientists found in a large meta-analysis that juice is linked to weight.Here's what happens, plus how to choose the healthiest partner.

Researchers find that this surprisingly "healthy" drink is linked to weight gain

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According to one study, daily intake of fruit juice was associated with weight gain in both children and adults.

Researchers have found that a 100% serving of fruit per day is associated with weight gain.

Nutritionists explain the link and give tips on how to avoid weight gain and still enjoy fruit juice.

If you're trying to lose weight or eat better, you probably know that drinks can be tricky.Besides water, many sips are good for you, but only in certain sizes or formats (looking at you, black coffee).Now, a large study has linked fruit juice to weight gain, casting doubt on the usefulness of a drink that many drink every day.Read on to find out what the researchers found and how to choose healthy juices so you don't cut back on your breakfast.

Meet the Experts: Melissa Mroz-Planells, D.C.N., R.D.N., national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and member of the Preventive Medicine Review Board;Jackie Newgent, R.D.N., C.D.N., chef, nutritionist and author of The Plant-Based Diabetes Cookbook.

A meta-analysis published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics looked at how consumption of 100% fruit juice might affect weight gain in children and adults.Researchers analyzed 42 studies: 17 on children and 25 on adults, with more than 300,000 participants.

For children, they found that drinking additional 100% fruit juice each day was associated with a 0.03 higher change in body mass index (BMI) for adults.They found that each additional day of service was associated with a slightly smaller change of 0.02 in BMI. (Note: Prevention no longer uses BMI as an indicator of health.)

So, how does drinking fruit juice help to gain weight?While some don't pay attention, it can be easy to get extra calories from beverages like juice, soda, and additives like sugar or creamer in tea and coffee, says Melissa Mroz-Planells, DCN, RDN, national reporter for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Review on food supplements."Increased at a time when it is easy to support the weight."

The difference between eating fruit and drinking fruit juice also plays a role.According to the Mayo Clinic, fruit juice contains most of the vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals found in fruit, but whole fruits and vegetables also contain healthy fiber that is lost during juicing.When you drink fruit juice instead of eating the whole fruit, you take out the fibers and structural parts of the food, and our bodies digest and absorb it differently.

Fruit sugar can also contribute to insulin resistance, which can lead to weight gain.Half a cup of juice, such as orange juice, has about the same amount of carbohydrates as a slice of bread, Mroz-Planells said.habitually consume, can contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance," he explained.

Drinking more water regularly, along with a family history of type 2 diabetes or being overweight or inactive, all combine to increase your chances of developing insulin resistance, agreed Jackie Nugent, R.D.N., C.D.N., chef, nutritionist and author of The Plant-Based Diabetes Cookbook.

So, how much fruit juice can you drink a day?According to Rose-Flannels, the guidelines recommend that at least half of our fruit intake should come from whole fruits.If you consume fruit juice, it is important to choose 100% juice without added sugar.If so, he recommends mixing it with a little sparkling water for a refreshing cooler

Remember, a glass of juice isn't the same as a 12- or 16-ounce grab-n-go bottle, Nugent says, because the latter contain more calories and carbs than the serving you'd pour at home.She recommends looking for juices that say "no added sugar," "sugar-free," or "freshly squeezed" to cut down on the sweetness.

The conclusion

Although the causes of obesity were not discussed in the study, it is clear that weight and body mass index were higher in those who consumed more fruit juice than those who did not, says Mroz-Planels."It reinforces the idea that the calories from our drinks can affect our weight and increase obesity.

But that doesn't mean you have to cut out fruit juice entirely.It can be part of a healthy lifestyle, Newgent said, but it shouldn't be your strategy to eat fruit."Your best bet is to aim for whole fruit first for more fiber benefits and satisfying chewing!"she said.So, if you want to have a sugar-free glass here and there, you can do so guilt-free.