Health Canada is contemplating to remove fruit juices from the category of healthy dietary choices under Canada's Food Guide as juices increasingly come under the scanner for promoting obesity.
The current Food Guide recommends children and adults to consume between seven to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables each day, and that half a cup of 100% fruit juice is the equivalent of a single serving.
It also identifies types of foods and portion sizes for ideal consumption and promotes consumption of whole fruits instead of juices.
However, health campaigners have long argued that fruit juices should be removed from the guide owing to high sugar and calories.
The Food Guide also came under severe criticism at recent obesity conference in Toronto.
The director general of the federal office of nutrition policy and promotion Hasan Hutchinson hinted at the obesity summit that the Health Canada may be changing its recommendations regarding fruit juices.
Hasan Hutchinson was quoted by the Canadian Medical Association Journal as saying: "You won't be seeing that anymore ... and there'll be a fair number of new materials coming out in the next few months."
The World Health Organization also recommends limiting "free sugar" consumption, which includes sugar in honey, syrups and fruit juices, to a maximum of 10% of daily calories, with an ideal limit of 5%.
The Canadian Pediatric Society, the Childhood Obesity Foundation, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation are some of the health organizations that recommend limiting juice intake.
Bariatric Medical Institute medical director Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, who has been calling for juice to be removed from Canada's Food Guide, was quoted by The Prince George Citizen as saying: "Juice enjoys a totally undeserved health halo that in part, no doubt, is due to the fact our Food Guide still says that juice is a fruit equivalent, even though it isn't.
"Drop for drop, it has the same number of calories ... as Coca-Cola. In some cases, it has more. So grape juice is double the sugar, double the calories.
"(Juice) doesn't have the same satiety benefits -- it doesn't fill you up. It doesn't have the same vitamins, minerals and nutrients because the processing is extreme and it absolutely strips those away to a degree from the juice."
Image: The dietary bible recommends that children and adults consume up to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Photo: courtesy of KEKO64 / Freedigitalphotos.net.
