The UAE drinks a lot of fruit juice. A massive 91 percent of us drink the stuff, according to a Pan Arab Research Company study in 2011. But while our desire to lead a healthy life is to be commended, some people could be consuming drinks that do more harm than good.
Despite the photos of fruit on cartons and bottles, some of the drinks available in shops and at restaurants actually only contain 30 percent natural juice. The other 70 percent often comprises of added sugar, preservatives and additives (those dreaded E numbers), and some of those can bring on the symptoms of asthma, eczema and allergies. And all that added sugar is also bad news for a country where 20 percent of the population is at risk from diabetes.
So just what is in our juice drinks? The key is to read the labels on bottles and cartons. If you want 100 percent natural, you’ll be able to tell straightaway because the list of ingredients will be very short (and some will even simply say ‘100 percent natural fruit juice’).
It’s more often than not those exotic looking bottles offering strawberry, guava and mango that you have to pay attention to. Some cartons will say ‘juice drink’ as opposed to fruit juice, meaning sugar and E numbers have often been added. But bottles can still be confusing: labels will say ‘fresh’ but you might find only a quarter of it is made up of actual fruit.
‘If a drink has the juice of a fruit added it can still be called a juice even with the smaller amount added. If it is called a “juice drink” or a “fruit cocktail drink” then the drink will definitely contain other added ingredients,’ says Sarah Queen, Wellness Guru at Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. ‘Many fruit juices are made from concentrate. This basically means that the water content of the fruits have been removed, either by freezing or evaporation. This reduces the weight and bulk of the fruit so that it can easily be transported. The water is then added back by the manufacturer. A fruit juice may have a higher percentage of water added which would lower the amount of actual fruit juice.’
Sarah adds that reading labels, or asking for fresh from a restaurant, is the only way to guarantee your drink is completely natural. ‘Because food labelling and food standards vary from country to country and as we have many imported foods, the only way that we can safely know what is in the juice is to read the list of ingredients,’ she says. ‘They may contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives, artificial flavourings and colourings. Sugar is a cheap commodity and so fruit juice (or concentrate) can be reduced and the sugar added to give the drink a sweeter flavour.’
An ever-growing sweet tooth among the UAE’s population is also part of the problem. ‘People do not always appreciate quite how much additional sugar is added to fruit drinks,’ she adds. ‘A fruit juice will contain vitamin C, although the amount varies from product to product, and some may contain phytonutrients too. If a person’s fruit and vegetable intake is low, juice can play an important role in their diet.’
Sarah suggests if you do want to drink a fruit cocktail, then make sure you enjoy it while eating a meal. ‘Juice is cariogenic and attacks the teeth which can lead to tooth decay, so drink it with breakfast or dinner,’ she says.
Fruit juice, whether pure or with added extras, can also add unwanted calories to our diets. ‘A fruit juice is also naturally high in fructose and some schools of thought believe that too much of this extracted fruit sugar can overload the liver and lead to a fatty liver, obesity, diabetes and heart disease,’ she says.
Fruit drink makers aren’t doing anything wrong by using additives, and the ingredients are all approved and there for all to see on the labels, but Sarah thinks they should only be drunk in moderation and should not be part of your family’s daily diet. ‘I would really recommend that children avoid any fruit juice drink or fruit cocktail,’ says Sarah. ‘Only drink pure fruit juice, which will provide some of their vitamin C intake.’
With thanks to Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. www.anantara.com. Eastern Mangroves (02 656 1000).
Know your E numbers
E466
Carboxymethylcellulose. Mainly used as a thickening agent, but also as filler, dietary fibre, anti-clumping agent and emulsfier. Has no known side effects, and it’s also used in toothpaste, laxatives, diet pills, water-based paints and detergents.
E415
Known as xanthan gum, it’s a thickening agent, stabiliser and emulsifier. Has been linked to allergies and asthma and can cause rashes, blotches, itching and hives.
E211
Sodium benzoate. Used in acidic foods such as salad dressings (vinegar), carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), jams and fruit juices (citric acid), pickles (vinegar) and condiments. It is also used as a preservative in medicines and cosmetics. The Coca Cola Company has removed E211 from its products including Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta and Oasis. Has been linked with causing hyperactivity in kids and hives. Asthmatics should also steer clear of this one.
E133
Brilliant Blue FCF is a food colourant. Used in many fruit drinks, The Hyperactive Children’s Support Group recommends kids should avoid it. Brilliant Blue FCF has previously been banned in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland among others but has been certified as a safe food additive in the EU and is today legal in most countries. Has been linked with the effects of asthma and hyperactivity.
