According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the foundation of a healthy diet is to prioritize low-processed foods, while limiting free sugar sources in the diet.
WHO recommends that free sugar levels should account for less than 10% of total daily energy and if reduced to less than 5%, it will bring more health benefits.
Sugar in juices and soft drinks, even without sugar, is still classified as a group that needs to be restricted because it easily increases the amount of sugar consumed during the day.
This is especially noteworthy with sugarcane juice. The juice process has removed almost all the fiber of the sugarcane, making the amount of sugar absorbed faster than when eating whole foods.
Experts believe that healthy people do not necessarily have to completely abstain from sugarcane juice, but should consider it as a refreshing drink occasionally instead of a daily drink.
A glass of medium-sized sugarcane juice can already provide most of the recommended free sugar in a day, especially if the drinker is still using milk tea, soft drinks, or candies.
People with overweight, obesity, pre-diabetes or diabetes need to be even more careful.
Because sugarcane juice has a high glycemic index and is almost free of protein or fat to slow down absorption, drinking a lot can cause blood sugar to fluctuate sharply. If you want to use it, you should consult your doctor or nutritionist to suit your blood sugar control plan.
Another important piece of advice is not to drink sugarcane juice instead of filtered water. Filtered water is still the best choice to replenish the body. Meanwhile, sugarcane juice should only be used as a refreshing drink in moderation.
To enjoy sugarcane juice in a more beneficial way, nutrition experts recommend drinking in small amounts, without adding sugar or syrup, not drinking on an empty stomach and not combining it with many other sweets during the day.
At the same time, maintain a diet rich in green vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains and exercise regularly to support weight control as well as metabolic health.
