I drink packaged fruit juices thinking they are a healthier alternative to soft drinks. However, I’ve recently been told that they may not be as healthy as they claim. From a nutrition point of view, how do packaged juices compare with whole fruits, and should they be avoided completely?

Overripe fruits may be still good to eat or can easily be converted into a smoothie, juice or used as an ingredient in dishes such as banana bread.

The main thing you lose when fruit ripens too much is its texture. You no longer have the plump juiciness or crunchiness.

However, more often than not, these fruits will actually be at their sweetest.

Hence, though not the best to eat as is, there's still a lot you can do with them.

Overripe fruit will smell really sweet. A rotten fruit will smell nasty, sour or similar to vinegar. This indicates that the fruit has started to ferment.

Unless you've intentionally fermented it in the right, sterile conditions, fermented fruit is not safe to eat.

High levels of the fruit sugar fructose in overripe fruits can cause digestive upsets in people with sensitive stomachs.