There are many juices extracted from fruits, but only some are as popular as orange juice. Orange juice is drunk all over the world and is pretty easy to make. All you need to do is squeeze the oranges to extract drinkable and natural orange juice. You can do so using your force through your hands, or you can just use an easily available apparatus.
Orange Juice is a great source for essential nutrients, like potassium and vitamin C. We are talking about the natural extract of orange here, if you buy a commercial variety of orange juice, they may even contain vitamin D and calcium.
Regardless, there has been continuous discussion regarding whether orange juice is healthy and good for you. Today, we will be citing the top five health benefits of drinking orange juice that may convince you in favor of adding orange juice to your daily diet.
Also Read: Prune Juice: Benefits and Nutrition
Orange Juice Benefits
Rich in Several Important Nutrients
Nutrition of Orange juice is very impressive. It is high in vital nutrients, like potassium, folate, and vitamin C.
As per USDA, Orange juice nutrition in an 8 ounce (240-ml) cup includes:
- Magnesium: 6% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
- Potassium: 10% of the RDI
- Folate: 15% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 67% of the RDI
- Carbs: 26 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Calories: 110
Most of the orange juice benefits are linked with the presence of vitamin C in them. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in the body’s immune system and is a powerful antioxidant.
Moreover, vitamin C also assists in better gum health, wound healing, and bone formation.
Apart from vitamin C, orange juice is also rich in folate, which is a vital component for DNA synthesis and promotes fetal development and growth.
Another major part of orange juice’s nutrition is potassium. It effectively protects against heart stroke and disease, regulates blood pressure, and combats bone loss.
High in Antioxidants
Antioxidants have been proven to be very healthy as they are effective in preventing oxidative damage. Oxidative damage occurs when the levels of free radicals exceed the number of antioxidants in the body. Orange juice is rich in many antioxidants like ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and flavonoids.
There have been successful research showing the importance of antioxidants in promoting overall health. They play a crucial role in protecting the body from chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
One study that lasted 8 weeks showed that drinking 25 ounces (750ml) of orange juice every day may result in a significant rise in antioxidant levels.
Another study in this matter showed similar results. When 20 ounces (591 ml) of orange juice was drunk every day straight for 90 days, the antioxidant levels in those 24 adults with high triglycerides and cholesterol were elevated.
Moreover, orange juice was also found to be one of the top sources of antioxidants in a study in over 4000 adults. Other sources were vegetables, supplements, wine, tea, and berries.
Pro Tip: In order to consume even more antioxidants along with a bunch of other health benefits, you can couple or alternative the consumption of carrot juice along with orange juice.
May Decrease Inflammation
Increased levels of inflammation is a common function of the body’s immune system in response to certain infections and diseases.
However, such high levels of inflammation can be the main reason for developing chronic disease if sustained for a long time.
Various signs of inflammation like tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are all found elevated during various chronic conditions like heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and certain cancers.
There have been a few considerable studies suggesting the ability of orange juice to decrease the levels of inflammation along with the problems linked with it.
Another review suggests that drinking orange juice can have anti-inflammatory properties against some specific inflammation markers linked to chronic diseases.
Furthermore, there was a study conducted on 22 people for over 8 weeks that showed that consumption of both commercial and fresh orange juice could decrease inflammation markers like IL-6 and CRP, which may help prevent disease.
May Improve Heart Health
Heart disease is one of the most common and lethal diseases in the world, taking over 17 million lives each year around the world.
There have been a few studies suggesting that drinking orange juice can alleviate several risk factors relating to heart disease – like increased cholesterol levels and high blood pressure – and assists in maintaining the heart healthy and sound.
One of these studies was conducted on 129 people, and it was found that drinking orange juice for the long term reduces the levels of both “bad” LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol.
May Help Prevent Kidney Stones
If you have experienced the pain caused by kidney stones, you know how nasty it can get. Kidney stones are tiny mineral deposits in the kidney that can cause symptoms like nausea, severe pain, or blood in your urine.
There are several different ways in which these kidney stones can naturally excrete for the body. One of them is through urine, and several studies suggest that orange juice can increase the amount of urine or pH, making it more alkaline and, thus, aiding in preventing kidney stones.
Furthermore, one small study also suggests that when compared, orange juice was more effective in mitigating kidney stones factors than lemonade.
Potential Risks
There are a lot of health benefits of drinking orange juice, proving that it is good for you. However, there are certain negative aspects of consuming too much orange juice that you must be aware of.
Orange juice is high in sugar and calories. Moreover, orange juice has nowhere near the amount of fiber content as the whole fruit, meaning it cannot assist in weight loss, and it can even lead to weight gain.
In fact, there have been many studies asserting that drinking any fruit juice on a regular basis can lead to weight gain over time.
The only best way to avoid these nasty downsides while also gathering maximum benefits is through practicing portion control and choosing only 100% natural or fresh-squeezed juice.
There have been several studies suggesting that regular consumption of commercial sugar-sweetened beverages can often lead to type 2 diabetes in the long run.
Final Verdict
Orange juice is the most popular beverage in the world and is highly nutritious. It is an excellent source of various antioxidants and micronutrients like potassium, folate, and vitamin C.
Drinking orange juice regularly can offer a lot of health benefits like a reduced risk of kidney stones, decreased inflammation, and better heart health.
However, you must remember only to consume natural or 100% orange juice regularly, as the commercial one is often high in sugar and calories.
We hope you found the article helpful. You can find more such content in the related section. You are also more than welcome to drop your views in the comments section below.
