It is important to highlight the distinction between consuming a whole fruit versus a derivative: drinking a glass of fruit juice and eating a fruit compote do not have the same health benefits. “They are processed fruits...so they are no longer fruits!” explains Irène Margaritis, head of the nutrition risks assessment at ANSES (National Agency for Food Sanitary Safety). More precisely, the “transformation” resides in the cooking for the fruit compote and in the squeezing process for the juice.
Moreover, their conversion in the body is not the same: a whole fruit is delivered less abruptly to the body than fruit juices or compotes, because its assimilation by the digestive system requires more time.
Here is a brief comparison between whole and processed fruits:
Water: if the goal is to rehydrate, drinking pure water is more effective.
Sugar: fruit derivatives contain sucrose, used to balance with the excessive acidity of some juices made from concentrates. Industrial juices contain much more sugars and calories than whole fruits.
Fibers: they usually disappear when the fruit is processed.
Vitamins and minerals: they are present in the same quantities whether the fruits are consumed whole or processed. However, those lost in the transformation process are often replaced by synthetic vitamins and minerals, which are not as easy to assimilate.
Additives and technological auxiliaries: industrial products contain dimethicone, an anti-foaming agent used to make orange juice homogeneous and shiny. Dimethicone is considered carcinogenic.
