Orange juice is a staple beverage at the American breakfast thanks to its high amount of vitamin C and other antioxidants like hesperidin, narirutin, naringenin, and eriocitrin. These protect the body from damage caused by free radicals and prevent a number of diseases.1 2 But before we look at the benefits orange juice offers, you need to know that eating a whole orange is better than drinking a glass of juice.
[pullquote]A 248 g cup (about 8 oz) of orange juice meets:
- 137% of your daily need for vitamin C
- 18.5% of folate
- 10.5% of potassium
- 9% of vitamin A
- 4.9% of vitamin B6
- 6.7% of magnesium
- 2.7% of calcium3[/pullquote]
A medium sized orange (131 g) provides 12% dietary fiber, in addition to all the nutrients the juice provides. It is this fiber that makes all the difference. Oranges have a lot of fructose besides glucose and sucrose – totaling to 20.83 g in an 8 oz serving of freshly squeezed unsweetened juice – but these are bound to insoluble fiber. When you eat a whole orange, the insoluble fibers slow down the release of sugar. However, when you juice the fruit, the sugars are separated from the fiber and are readily absorbed into your body, causing a blood glucose spike. This is why diabetics should have a whole orange rather than the juice.4 Recent research has also linked fructose with insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A cohort study has also found that while whole fruits reduce diabetes risk, fruit juices increase the risk.5 But if you can compensate for the sugar intake and limit yourself to 150 ml of orange juice a day, these are the health benefits you would get.
1. Boosts Immunity
The first benefit one can associate with oranges or any other citrus fruits is their high levels of vitamin C. An 8 oz cup of orange juice offers a staggering 137% of your daily vitamin C need if you are male and 165% if you are female. Vitamin C has several benefits for the body, from the growth and repair of your tissues to keeping the bones, teeth, cartilage, and blood vessels healthy. As an antioxidant, it neutralizes free radicals and prevents cell damage. Vitamin C also helps immune cells like phagocytes and T-cells function well, which is why people are advised to have citrus fruits to bump up their immunity.6 7
In fact, adequate intake of vitamin C and zinc shortens the duration of respiratory tract infections including the common cold. These two can also reduce the incidence and improve the outcome of pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea infections.8
2. Prevents Inflammation
Since oranges are a rich source of antioxidants, they also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, a study found that if you drink orange juice with a meal rich in fat and carbohydrates, you can prevent the oxidative stress and inflammation triggered in your body by these free radical-generating food items. This helps in preventing blood vessel damage and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.9
3. Lowers High Blood Pressure
Hesperidin, a major flavonoid present in orange juice, helps to control high blood pressure or hypertension. According to a study, drinking 500 ml of orange juice daily helped middle-aged overweight people lower their blood pressure and improve their overall heart health.10
4. Balances Cholesterol Levels
Vitamin C, folate, and flavonoids in orange juice help decrease the LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Orange juice has a positive effect on blood lipid level as well. Consumption of 750 ml orange juice daily has been found to increase the HDL or good cholesterol concentrations by 21%, triacylglycerol concentrations by 30%, and folate concentrations by 18%. It also decreased the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio by 16 percent.11
5. Improves Heart Health
Orange juice has a lot going for it when it comes to heart health. As mentioned earlier, hespiridin reduces blood pressure, while other beneficial nutrients in the fruit help balance cholesterol levels. That apart, orange juice has a high amount of potassium compared to a negligible amount of sodium – a heart-healthy composition – as well as a considerable amount of magnesium. A high magnesium intake is known to reduce the risk of heart disease.12
6. May Have Special Benefits For Smokers
[pullquote]While beta-carotene supplementation has been known to increase the risk of lung cancer among smokers, getting carotenoids from food is beneficial.[/pullquote]
Oranges contain a carotenoid called beta-cryptoxanthin in high amounts. In a couple of animal and laboratory studies, it was found that beta-cryptoxanthin decreased the number of tumors caused by exposure to a chemical called NNK, a carcinogenic byproduct of tobacco smoke. It also reduced inflammation of the lung and shortness of breath (emphysema) caused by tobacco smoke. And researchers suggest that rather than supplements, eating whole foods like oranges, pumpkins, or sweet peppers is sufficient to lower the risk of lung tumors among smokers.13
7. May Prevent Anemia
If you have a vegetarian diet and are at risk of low iron intake, orange juice can help you avert anemia to a certain extent. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from plant sources. Do note that this may not be sufficient to prevent anemia. You would need to eat a lot of iron-rich vegetables and even take iron supplements if your levels are too low.
8. Prevents Cancerous Growth
Daily consumption of orange juice inhibits cancerous tumor growth. In a study on rats, it was found that feeding double strength orange juice delayed the onset of chemically induced mammary cancer in rats. This antitumor property of orange juice is thanks to hesperidin, the flavonoid present in the juice. It has shown to protect against colon cancer as well.14
9. Prevents Kidney Stone Formation
Research shows that orange juice is beneficial for your kidneys. The citric acid in orange juice binds to the calcium in your body and prevents the formation of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones, two common types of kidney stones. It also reduces uric acid levels, which are known to cause kidney stones.15
10. Improves Skin And Protects From UV Damage
Orange juice can keep your skin healthy, young, and firm thanks to the collagen-boosting vitamin C. But that’s not all. As a rich source of vitamin C, it can also protect the skin from UV damage.16 Orange juice also supplies your body with vitamin A and carotenoids, antioxidants that helps in skin repair and rejuvenation.17
Choose Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice Over Packaged Juices
There’s a caveat, however. You will not get these benefits in packaged orange juice. Commercial orange juice is almost always loaded with sugar, additives like artificial flavor, and preservatives. Even if you find 100% juice, which is not made from concentrate, chances are it has been pasteurized and has lost most nutrients. As a result, not only do you not get the benefits, you also tend to suffer from health issues like weight gain and diabetes.18 It also increases your risk of developing gout, a common and painful inflammatory arthritis.19
Like we emphasized before, eat an orange a day. But if you cannot have the whole fruit, choose freshly squeezed orange juice. Cold press the fruit to retain all nutrients and do not add any sugar or artificial sweetener to it. You may also try blending the fruit to retain some of the fiber. Also remember that while there’s no harm in having an orange a day as part of your 5 fruits and veggies a day, try other citrus fruits as well so that you reap the benefits of a wide variety of antioxidants and plant chemicals.
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