Drinking juice has always been somewhat of a double-edged sword. It seems like a healthy habit to maintain but drinking too much or not 100% juice can be detrimental to your health–and your waistline.

Christine McKinney, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. wrote an informative piece posted on Yahoo Health on the guidelines of drinking juice. Here is an excerpt:

Adults should drink no more than two cups (16 ounces) each day. This may vary depending on your age, body weight and gender, but it’s a good general guideline.

Although most adults need about two servings or cups of fruit per day, 100-percent fruit juice can count as one, or even two, of those servings. The problem arises when people drink more than this, and those extra calories turn into extra weight.

But please keep in mind: Whole fruits do offer some benefits over juices. Whole fruits have more fiber than plain juice, and fiber helps you feel fuller longer. Also, a piece of whole fruit takes longer to digest than juice removed from the fruit, which keeps your blood sugar level steadier. And there’s an additional satisfaction from chewing something instead of merely guzzling it down. So try choosing whole fruits over juices in your diet.

Children don’t need as much juice as adults. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1- to 6-year-olds only need 4 to 6 ounces of juice per day, while those ages 7 to 18 years need only 8 to 12 ounces.

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