If Juice Comes From Fruit, How Is It Not Considered Healthy?

It’s hard to imagine that fruit juice is nutritionally on par with Coca-Cola. But ... is it? Here's what experts say.

If there’s one piece of nutrition advice most people don’t need to hear for a millionth time, it’s that soda is bad for you, and the only thing you should drink when you’re thirsty is water. If you’ve spent enough time in fitness or “wellness” spaces, you’ve probably heard about how bad fruit juice is, too — at least, supposedly. But given that even the most processed, big-brand juices out there are made with some amount of fruit, it’s hard to imagine that fruit juice is nutritionally on par with, say, Coca-Cola.

As with pretty much anything relating to human health, there’s a little more nuance to the picture than simply “fruit juice = bad” (or good, for that matter). Most registered dietitians will flag the sugar content of juice as a drawback, and encourage their patients to get their hydration primarily from regular old water. But at the same time, there are downsides to completely vilifying an entire category of food or beverage, particularly for folks who are prone to restricting or other forms of disordered eating.

We spoke to a handful of nutrition experts who shared their guidance on exactly how fruit juice affects the body, and what juice lovers should know.

Not all sugar contents are created equal.

“Fruit juice is essentially water, sugar, vitamins and minerals,” explained Jami Zimmerman, a clinical registered dietitian at NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue. She, as well as the other professionals we spoke to, all emphasized that the sugar content is what makes juice a less-than-perfect beverage.