People who increase their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages — whether they contain added or naturally occurring sugar in the form of fruit juice — face a moderately higher risk of type 2 diabetes. This conclusion was reached by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, having analyzed data of three large prospective registers (after adjusting for the main factors increased diabetes risk). It was found that increasing sugary beverage intake by more than 0,50 servings/day was associated with a 16% greater risk for type 2 diabetes in the subsequent 4 years. It was reliably noted that the replacement of sugar-sweetened beverages with artificially sweetened beverages and fruit juice was also accompanied by an increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 18% and 15 %, respectively.
Healthful alternatives - replacing a sugary beverage with water, coffee, tea or reduced-fat milk (0–2% fat) was associated with a 2–10% lower diabetes risk.
Summing up, we can conclude that although fruit juices contain some nutrients, their consumption should be moderated. It is much healthier to eat whole fruits.
