Comparing apples and oranges

farmboyphotography

I just read an article that said that “you get more calories from a 12-ounce serving of 100 percent juice than you do from a can of Coke.”

There is no arguing that point. But if you will forgive the idiom, is this a fair comparison of apples and oranges? Which is a better choice, eating whole fruit or drinking fruit juice? I am not trying to skew the caloric results by showing smaller portions of whole fruits vs. 100 per cent fruit juice. I thought about trying to make all comparisons of an equal volume but in a real-world sense, is that realistic? For instance, a small apple is around 149 grams or approximately five ounces. I would eat a five ounce apple, but who drinks five ounces of juice? That isn’t an adult portion, which is why in my examples, I attempted to consider the whole fruit and the 100 percent fruit juice in realistic portions for an adult (also influenced by the 12 ounces of coke in a standard can).

Thoughts? Rational criticisms of this method of comparing? What would you change if you were comparing apples and oranges… and cranberries and grapes…. and 100 percent juice from these same fruits?



12 ounces of coke has 140 calories and 65 grams of sugar

12 ounces of raw orange juice has 168 calories and 36 grams of sugar
1 raw navel orange (140 g) has 69 calories and 12 grams of sugar.

12 ounces of unsweetened cranberry juice has 156 calories and 36 grams of sugar
5 ounces of raw cranberries (140 g) contains 65 calories and 5 grams of sugar

12 ounces of unsweetened apple juice has 156 calories and 36 grams of sugar
1 small apple (149 g) has 77 calories and 15 grams of sugar

12 ounces of unsweetened grape juice has 204 calories and 48 grams of sugar
5 ounces of red or green seedless grapes (140 g) contains 95 calories and 20 grams of sugar


What is YOUR conclusion? Would you choose to eat whole fruit or to drink fruit juice?

Hoppymom

Whole fruit every time. Except when I had a cold last week. I was craving oj and it really seemed to help.