Released in May 2014, film “Fed Up” aims to expose the food industry’s contributions to the obesity epidemic in America.
While some of the film’s information may be valuable, not all of it is correct.
In a misleading message, “Fed Up” suggests that 100% Orange Juice is equivalent to sugar-sweetened beverages like soda.
Not only is this unsupported by sound science, it creates confusion among people trying to make more healthful choices for themselves and their families.
With the movie’s recent digital release, the Florida Department of Citrus is reminded once again of the importance of arming consumers with the facts on the nutritional benefits of 100% Florida Orange Juice.
Not only is an 8-ounce serving of 100% Florida Orange Juice an excellent source of vitamin C, it is packed with other nutrients, such as potassium, folate, and thiamin, which are carried over from the fruit to the juice. It also contains a variety of plant phytochemicals, including hesperidin, a flavonoid found in oranges that may have beneficial effects on human health (orange juice is the only fruit juice or commonly-consumed food that contains a significant amount of hesperidin).
100% Florida Orange Juice has no added sugar; it contains only natural sugars present in the juice when squeezed from the orange. Furthermore, there is substantial evidence that the consumption of moderate amounts of 100% Orange Juice is associated with beneficial or no adverse effects on key health indicators—including body weight, body mass index or other weight indices in children or adults.
The reality is that few Americans consume the recommended amounts of fruit each day, and including 100% Florida Orange Juice as a complement to whole fruit is a nutritious, quick and simple way to help children and adults meet fruit intake recommendations.
That’s why 100 percent fruit juice is recognized by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and USDA’s MyPlate as a nutrient-rich beverage that can contribute to fruit intake and be part of a healthful diet.
In addition, 100 percent fruit juice is a healthy beverage choice for children in appropriate amounts, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as 4 to 6 ounces of 100 percent fruit juice a day for children ages 1 through 6, and 8 to 12 ounces a day for older children ages 7 through 18.
There are plenty of things about our diets to be fed up with, but the natural goodness of 100% Florida Orange Juice is not one of them.
