Dietary Guidelines Report Is Positive for Fruit Juice

According to the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), the conclusions and statements presented in a federal report related to 100 percent fruit juice are positive.

The first print of the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report was released on July 15. This report will be used to develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) later this year. These federal guidelines are updated every five years to reflect the current body of nutrition science and provide advice on what to eat and drink to promote health and reduce risk of chronic disease.

The FDOC reported that several principles emerged and serve as overarching guidelines for the DGAC’s work:

• Follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan.
• Focus on variety, nutrient density and amount.
• Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake.
• Shift to healthier food and beverage choices.
• Shift eating patterns to food and beverage choices that have a higher nutrient-to-energy ratio.
• Shift to higher quality food and beverage choices at every age to achieve a more healthful dietary pattern.
• Support healthy eating patterns for all.

The FDOC pointed out that 100 percent fruit juice is defined as a nutrient-dense beverage. It can contribute to hydration, nutrient intake recommendations, and can play an added role in health promotion and disease prevention. One hundred percent fruit juices do not contribute to added sugar intake, and limited evidence shows they are not associated with obesity, the FDOC added.   

While this report supports inclusion of 100 percent fruit juice in the final DGA, how the U.S. Department of Agriculture translates the committee report to develop the DGA policy document is not known. Therefore, the conclusions, implications and opportunities presented by the report are based on the committee’s review of the science only and will need to be reevaluated when the policy document is released at the end of 2020.

The FDOC stated that it will continue to monitor for additional actions and provide updates to the industry regarding how these decisions may or may not impact 100 percent orange juice.

See the full report.

Read more on the how the FDOC promotes the health benefits of orange juice.

Source: Florida Department of Citrus