PULP FICTION

Packaged vs. homemade
Fruit skin, which is rich in fibre, is usually removed in packaged juice. Grape skin, for instance, contains cancer-preventing molecules. Such essential fibres are retained in homemade juices, says Delhi-based pediatrician Sunil Bhatnagar. Also, many fruit juices are boiled before packing to kill bacteria but in the process vitamins and other nutrients also get destroyed. “Packaged juices are also filtered from pulps that contain most of the antioxidants, before being canned to maintain fluidity. In some cases, the packs refer to added pulp but there’s no guarantee whether the pulp is real or artificial,” he adds. Canned juices may also be contaminated with mold (airborne microscopic organisms) toxins from damaged fruit that may be processed.

Preservatives
Artificial colours or additives, that are common ingredients in packaged juices, can be harmful. According to industry sources, the most common preservative in processed foods is sodium benzoate, which controls bacteria, mold, yeasts, and other microbes and is typically used in acidic foods. “Mixing sodium benzoate with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) produces benzene, a proven carcinogen. However, not much has been talked about this aspect,” says Banglore-based nutritionist Sudha Nagar.
Leading brands insist they don’t use preservatives and instead opt for natural substitutes such as natural citrus. Says Dabur India GM (marketing) KK Chutani, “We agree that addition of artificial preservatives and sugar affects the nutritional value of the juice, which is why our products, Réal and Réal Activ, don’t have artificial additives. The preservatives present in our fruit juices are all natural preservatives present in the fruit itself. Also, the Réal Activ range does not have any added sugar.”
Pepsico, manufacturer of Tropicana, speaks in the same vein. “Our juices have zero added sugar, no preservatives and no extra colour/ flavour. For example, a litre of Tropicana 100% Orange juice is made from two kg of oranges and has equivalent vitamin C as in two oranges in one serving,” says a Pepsico spokesperson.

Sugar content
Packed juices are high on sugar, which makes them more caloric than fresh fruits. “The starch-derived fructose used to sweeten juices gets converted into triglyceride (unsaturated fat) that contributes to diabetes, hypoglycaemia, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Regular consumption of canned juices with added sugar can suppress the appetite for nourishing foods like vegetables, thus resulting in nutritional deficiencies,” says dietician Tanvi Dudeja, PD Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai.