Validity of Health Claims on Juice Makers under Expert Challenge -CHOICE # 440

The Consumer Council has cast doubt on the validity of a myriad of health claims by manufacturers of blenders and juicers implying that their juice contains more nutrients.

Some manufacturers of these appliances have claimed, in effect, that the nutritional quality of juice could be enhanced by the way in which juice is made.

They implied that chewing is not the best option for the body to extract most of the nutritional benefits out of the fruit or vegetables we eat. They claimed that chewing is unable to break the cell walls of plants and therefore cannot release much of the important phyto (plant) nutrients.

They further argued that with the aid of a juice maker, the high-speed action of cutting, spinning and whirling can blend the peel, root, stem, seeds and pulp of fruit and vegetables into a glass of juice with more phyto-nutrients released from the plant cells.

Is drinking juice a better substitute than eating whole fruit and vegetables, as manufacturers of juice makers would like consumers to believe? Nutritional and medical opinions however are not supportive of such claims. The expert opinion is that eating whole fruit and vegetables is in fact more beneficial to health.

To study the issue, the Consumer Council has undertaken a test on 12 models - 9 blenders and 3 juicers - to evaluate their performance, and sought the views of experts, including medical professionals and dietitians, to verify the validity of the health claims.

In the test, the models were evaluated and rated for their performance (35%), electrical safety (40%), and ease of use (25%), on a 5-point scale.

Their overall rating was evenly split between 4.5 points in 6 samples and 3.5 - 4 points in another 6 samples.

While there were only slight variations in quality, their prices varied substantially over a wide range from some $540 to $6,400. Models with special health claims were priced from $3,500 upwards.

With regard to the health claims, according to healthcare professionals, consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and certain cancers. However, they are not aware of any scientific evidence which demonstrates that processing fruit and vegetables by a blender or juicer would enhance these health effects.

The human body has the ability to digest and absorb nutrients from plant sources - since time immemorial. Digestion and absorption is a slow process that may take hours. Faster absorption rate as claimed by some manufacturers should not be interpreted as evidence of more nutrients being absorbed.

In fact, fast absorption, through drinking juice, may pose a problem. Dietitians warn that fast absorption of sugars from food or juice may lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar, which is undesirable to diabetes patients.

Secondly, some products also made claims that juice produced by them can actually help slimming. This again is not without any pitfall.

For example, 3 oranges are usually necessary to make a cup (240 ml) of orange juice. Drinking one cup may mean taking in a lot more sugars and calories than eating only one orange. Relying on juice to reduce weight is far from infallible.

Thirdly, some blenders carried claims that they can help consumers eat the whole fruit. While the seeds of some fruit are edible, the danger is some seeds of fruit may lead to intoxication.

For example, seeds of apricot, peach, cherry, plums, prunes, apples and pears contain small amounts of cyanogenic glycoside, which may be converted into hydrogen cyanide. The peel may also contain residues of pesticides sprayed to the crops by the growers.

Fourthly, cancer prevention is also one of the claims. While it is known that consuming adequate fruit and vegetables can help to reduce the risk of certain cancers, consumers are reminded that there are many other guidelines to follow to prevent cancer.

According to the experts, drinking juice alone would not be enough. Consumers have also to avoid foods that are high in fat and sugar, as well as processed meat, alcoholic beverages and smoking.

Lastly, fruit alone does not provide all the nutrients essential to life. It does not have high levels of protein, calcium and iron. Always be mindful of the importance of a balanced diet to keep good health.