Is fruit juice a better option for my kids than soda?

Is fruit juice a better option for my kids than soda?

John Spencer Ellis (Author, TV Show Host, Trainer and CEO, National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association) gives expert video advice on: How can exercise benefit the elderly?; How can I help prevent childhood obesity?; Should my child take medication to help fight their obesity? and more...

Parents want to know if they should exchange soda for fruit juice. In theory you would think "Wow that's a good idea!" but sugar is sugar. They say "Well it's natural. Orange juice is natural." and my answer to that is, so is nicotine, heroin and even arsenic. They're all natural; they'll just kill you faster. If you have your child have the whole fruit rather than the fruit juice, the fibre slows the digestion of the sugar and your body can accommodate it, produce enough insulin to get that sugar into the cells, and then you don't start that vicious cycle that leads to obesity. So, in general terms, is juice better than a soft drink? Yes, because it has some nutrients. However as far as it being better or worse for diabetes and obesity? No, it's not any better because sugar is sugar and it still gets the system just as fast.