Chance to win a £150 Waitrose voucher! Join a Q&A on fruit juice with nutritionist Fiona Hunter ANSWERS NOW BACK!

[AnnMumsnet]

Over the next week, we're running a Q&A about fruit juice with Fiona Hunter, a qualified independent nutritionist and member of the British Dietetic Association. You may have read a number of stories in the papers about fruit juice and have some questions about its role in the diet for you and your family. For example, can 100% juice be one of your 5 a day, what goes into juice, when is it best to drink juice and how much to help ensure my children have a balanced diet?

Fiona has a BSc (Hons) Nutrition Degree and a postgraduate diploma in Dietetics from Kings College London. She worked as a Registered Dietitian in the NHS for seven years and for the last 15 years has worked as an independent nutrition consultant, writer and broadcaster.

Post your questions to Fiona before 9am on Friday 12th December and we'll send over a selection to which she will provide answers. There is a £150 Waitrose voucher up for grabs for one lucky Mumsnetter who posts a question. We will post Fiona's answers w/c 12 January.

This Q&A is sponsored by Tropicana.

What is the point of fruit juice? I brought my DCs up on water to save their teeth.
They still drink plenty of water and no juice now that they shop for their own food.

I watched a programme a little while ago that said consuming too much fruit juice can cause an enlarged liver now my family refuse to drink it because of the danger. Can you help reassure that fruit juice is safe. what is a safe limit?

Do you think fruit juice should be removed from '5 a day'? Admittedly they say it can only count for one, but it still gives the perception it is healthy, so people might well think more is fine. I can't see any benefits to drinking it but many people still think it is good for you

Hi, I wondered if you could give me a balance on the pros & cons of real fruit juice compared to 'from concentrated' juice:how much better or worse for us is either?

Should children be drinking juice before bedtime because of the effect it may have on their teeth?

Is it true that eating cheese soon after drinking fruit juice can reduce the impact of acid damaging the enamel?

DS only really likes water and milk. MIL has been trying to persuade him to take some juice by adding granulated sugar to it. I dont think this is a good idea but dont know what to suggest to get her to stop. Any ideas?

Is drinking juice really as bad as drinking Coca Cola?

Is it better to eat an orange or is it just as good to have a glass of not from concentrate OJ?

One thing I don't understand, which is not really about fruit juice as such- How come you can line up 6 pieces of fruit on the kitchen counter, and eat them one by one, and that's considered Good nutritionally, whereas the same 6 pieces of fruit popped into a jug and liquidised are somehow seen as nutritionally Bad nowadays? How do they change between being lined up on the counter and being liquidised?

Do you think that encouraging children to drink fruit juice on a regular basis may lead to in increased risk of diabetes in later life?

At what age can a child start to drink pure fruit juice and is it better to drink juice in the morning or later on in the day to feel the benefits.

Which juice would be best to give my daughter's immune system a boost?

Is it appropriate to have this discussion sponsered by Tropicana?

I don't really understand all the differences between nutritionists/dieticians/etc but have the feeling that some types of 'food advice people' aren't necessarily well qualified- from whom should I be taking diet advice?

What is better to drink- glass of squash or glass of not from concentrate juice?

What is the nutritional difference between from concentrate/not juice?

Is it better to consume fruit juice with food to reduce the effects on teeth?

I vaguely remember hearing about 10 years ago that apple juice had been proven to have some wonderful health benefits, even if from concentrate. What might they be? My children have ravaged my memory.

As far as I am aware fruit juice contains about the same sugar as fizzy juice. If this is true then should we really be drinking it at all?

DH won't eat feuit but has a glass of mango juice every day, as one of his 5. DD, on the other hand, eats a lot of fruit. Which one is the healthier?

My son loves smoothies and juice, but which is better both for nutritional value and for his teeth?? Its hard to know what to give him as he doesn't like water but there is so much negative publicity surrounding the sugar content in children's drinks.

CathBookworm has been selected as the winner of the £150 Waitrose voucher.
Answers are currently with Fiona and we should have responses soon: we will link to them on here

Thanks very much Ann, I look forward to reading Fiona's responses.

Hi - just to say I have amended the OP as we will be posting the As on a fancy page w/c 12 Jan. Will post a link to them here.
Sorry for the delay.

Hello - answers time!
They are all here