You can enjoy a glass of your favourite juice, while fulfilling your daily nutritional requirements of fruits and vegetables, for just a few dollars. Seems to be win-win from a health standpoint, but is it true?

“Fresh juices contain vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that are good for you, but the quantities are likely to be lower as compared to whole fruits and vegetables. Whole fruits and vegetables also have a much higher fibre content, which makes them a healthier choice,” says Ms Alyssa Chan, Dietitian, SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP), a member of the SingHealth group.

Whole fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of fibre ,which is lost when the skin and pulp are discarded during the juicing process. Some vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients are also lost for this reason.

Fibre, which is a key element in digestive health, can help prevent a variety of health conditions such as constipation, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer. There are two types of fibre – soluble and insoluble. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of both types of fibre.

4 Benefits of fresh juice

  1. Convenient way to consume fruits and vegetables alone, or in combination if you don't enjoy eating them.

  2. Tasty way to enjoy fruits and vegetables that you would otherwise not have.

  3. You are likely to consume larger quantities of fruits and vegetables in juice form than in whole form, which can help meet your daily nutritional needs for these foods.

  4. Suitable for people who needs to be on low residue diet due to their medical condition.

4 Disadvantages of drinking fresh juice

  1. Not as filling as whole foods because of the lack of fibre.

  2. Fruit juice can be high in sugar calories.

  3. Fresh juice that is not consumed immediately can develop bacteria and cause food poisoning.

  4. Juicing requires a high level of hygiene. Bacteria can easily grow in an unclean juicer and cause food poisoning.

“Bacteria and other pathogens can also grow in fresh juice that is left to stand for a few hours. These can harm your health,” says Ms Chan.

What is the recommended daily intake of fresh juice for adults and children?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends:

  • Toddlers (1-3 years):  : no more than 120ml of fruit juice per day.
  • Children (4-6 years)   : no more than 180ml of fruit juice per day.
  • Children (7-18 years) : no more than 240ml of fruit juice per day.

Adults should limit themselves to no more than 240ml of fruit juice per day

Fruit juice does not have fibre, which is found in whole fruits. It also high in sugar, which can lead to weight gain.

Recommended number of servings of fruit per day

Age groups6-12 months1-2 years3-6 years7 years and above
Fruit½ ½ 12


Examples of 1 serving of fruit : 

  • 1 small apple, orange, pear or mango 
  • 1 wedge of papaya, pineapple or watermelon 
  • 1 small banana 
  • 10 grapes or  longans  
  • ½ a dragon fruit 

Is fresh juice safe for pregnant women and the elderly?

Pregnant women are advised to avoid fresh juice from markets, restaurants or juice bars because those juices are not pasteurised and they may contain bacteria such as Salmonella, E.coli. Hence, to minimize the risk of infection, pregnant women should opt for juice that is pasteurised, usually available in cartons and bottles on supermarket shelves.  
However, pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus need to be mindful of fruit juice consumption due to it’s higher sugar content.

The elderly, who have weakened immune systems, tend to have smaller appetites. Chewing and swallowing issues should be considered, and they must be mindful to only drink fresh juice only from a highly-trusted source. Juicing can be a way to add nutrients to their diet. Due to minimal fibre in the juices, some pulp can be added to the drinks. 
For elderly with diabetes, they need to control juice consumption due to the higher sugar content in juices. Preferably employ a combination of fruits and vegetables to reduce the sugar content in the juice. 

Read the next page to find out the different myths and facts about juice cleanses and fresh juices​.

Ref: Q15

Check out articles on popular local fruits:

How Healthy is Coconut Water?

Papaya: Plenty to Be 'Yaya' (Proud) About

Mighty Mango

Is There a Best Time to Eat Fruits?

Dried Fruits: Nutritional Benefits