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M ost of us know fruit and vegetables are good for us, for so many reasons—

they’re packed with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fibre and energy. Despite this, most Australians don’t eat enough veggies each day. There are many ideas out there for ways to increase how much we have, with having a daily juice near the top of the list.

It is easy to see why juice is a tempting way to get your daily veg in, especially with all the food processers, mixers and blenders on the market. A blender packed with fruit and vegetables makes for a delicious morning juice. And many cafes and restaurants are also on board with the juice craze, as well, with a myriad of options available on their menus.

But let’s look at the pros and cons of including juice in your diet.

FIBREIt’s found in the cell walls of fruit and vegetables, and serves several healthy functions in our body, including keeping your gut healthy. When fruit and vegetables are blended to make a juice their cell walls are destroyed. You can add the pulp back in but, just by looking at it, you can see that the cell walls aren’t the same as they are in whole fruit or vegetables.

Fibre helps keep you full, so eating fruit and vegetables whole with fibre intact, means that you’re more likely to stay full for longer.

VITAMINS AND MINERALSFruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that help keep the body functioning at its best. However, many vitamins and minerals start breaking down when they’re exposed to air. So depending on when the juice was made, it may be not so full of the vitamins and minerals you’re looking for.

HOW MANY PIECES OF FRUIT ARE IN THAT JUICE?About half of Australian adults meet the target of two serves a day of fruit. A serve equates to a medium piece of fruit, like an apple or orange, or two smaller pieces like apricots or kiwi fruit, so meeting the target is within reach for most people.

The trouble with juice is that it’s easy to pop four or five pieces of fruit (or more) in a blender to get one glass of juice. This means having a daily juice can unintentionally provide extra energy in our diet, making weight management a little more difficult. Alternatively, if energy balance is to be maintained, and there is extra fruit in the diet, another essential food group misses out.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend a 125mL glass of fruit juice occasionally; and the key is making sure you go for a small cup!

VEGETABLE JUICE When it comes to eating our vegetables, we can all do better. Just 7% of Australian adults meet the target of five serves each day, so we have a long way to go!

There is some evidence to support vegetable juice can help ‘top-up’ vegetable intake, but for the reasons outlined above, whole vegetables (or chopped for a dish, such as stir-fry) are preferred.

SO WHAT TO DO?Whole or chopped fruit and vegetables are the best option, as they provide more fibre, more vitamins and minerals, keep you full for longer and provide more balance in your diet. Include a small fruit juice occasionally or vegetable juice as a top-up in your diet, but try to look past the hype surrounding those ‘revolutionary’ mixers and blenders on the market.

A JUICY QUESTIONWe’ve all seen the ads for juicers with their ‘cyclonic blades’ supposedly ‘unlocking’ the nutrients in fruit and vegs. But before you reach for the juicer full of acai berries, veggies and fruit, does juicing actually make food healthier? Dietitian Felicity Curtain looks at the pros and cons.

TIME OUT Eat well

When fruit and vegetables are blended to make a juice their cell walls are destroyed.

Felicity is passionate about sharing evidence‑based, practical nutrition information. Like most dietitians, Felicity loves food: talking about it, thinking about it, and cooking it!

For more nutrition inspiration, contact an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). APDs translate the latest in nutrition science into practical, tailored advice, and can help motivate and support you towards better health. To find an APD visit: www.daa.asn.au