The American Academy of Pediatrics says that far from being a healthy drink, “Fruit juice has no essential role in healthy, balanced diets of children.” American children between the ages of 2 and 18 consume almost half their fruit intake in the form of juice, but doctors warn that has to stop.
According to the academy, there is a vast difference between a real orange, for example, and a glass of orange juice, explains the Los Angeles Times. Whole fruit delivers fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar and clears the colon. And because fiber takes longer to digest, eating whole fruit instead of juice can lower hunger cravings. Kids who drink a lot of juice also are susceptible to cavities. As the academy said in a statement, “Fruit juice offers no nutritional advantage over whole fruit.”