Pure juice is new goal for Christmas

First there are the holidays of the season, then there is Harmattan. The dustiness that comes with season just makes you want to drink something. But you should have a nutritional goal this season.

Pure fruit juice says health and wellness expert, Dr Bisi Abiola. Out with the sugar-laden fizzy drinks.

“Quite often, we talk about celebration without considering the fact that you can only have fun when you are healthy. What is your nutritional objective as Christmas and the New Year approaches? Of course, this is a season of indulgence, but as a health-conscious individual, you must select your meals and drinks with your overall nutritional goal in mind. And I think pure fruit juice is definitely the way to go.”

“The available evidence relating to 100 percent fruit juice consumption indicates modest benefits for blood pressure, while there is also an emerging trend revealing inverse associations between pure fruit juice consumption and risk of stroke. Overall, this suggests that unadulterated fruit juice is an appropriate choice of beverage for a heart healthy diet,” she stressed.

A glass of orange juice has nearly your daily recommendation of vitamin C, an important oxidant to neutralise free radicals formed as part of your body’s natural oxidation process.

“Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables is a recognised way to maximise the ingestion of vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant nutrients,” said Abiola.

“Also, clinical studies reveal several mechanisms relating to vascular health, inflammation, lipid oxidation and platelet aggregation that could explain a benefit for pure fruit juices in lowering CVD risk. Polyphenol compounds and potassium in fruit juices are most likely responsible for these effects. In fact, more than a decade’s worth of research suggests that 100 percent fruit juice can help support a healthy heart.”