A study published this week claims that a glass of orange juice a day could increase the risk of diabetes, in women. Eating fresh fruit is the healthy alternative.
The findings, published in the journal Diabetes Care, suggest that women who drink a glass of fruit juice every morning are 18 per cent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who do not.
On the other hand, those who instead opt for three pieces of fruit reduced their risk of developing the debilitating condition by 18 per cent.
The natural sugars in juice are absorbed too rapidly in the stomach, causing a surge in blood sugar levels, says the study, whereas when eating fresh fruit, fibre slows the digestion.
The reasearchers tracked 70,000 US nurses over 18 years, and only covered women. It is not know whether the same applies to men.
