Healthy Food

What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Orange Juice

Most people know that orange juice contains Vitamin C, but what else does drinking it do for your health?

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the health benefits of drinking orange juice and some possible side effects.

By the end, you’ll know everything you need to make an informed decision about whether or not to drink orange juice. Drink up!

You’ll receive a significant amount of vitamins and minerals:

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Drinking orange juice has many of the same nutritional benefits as eating an orange, according to Amanda A. Kostro Miller, an RD/LDN who serves on the Fitter Living advisory board. She also mentions that some commercial brands supplement their juice with additional nutrients.

“Orange juice is high in vitamin C (1 cup or 8 ounces contains roughly 67 percent of the daily recommended dietary requirement for adults), folate, potassium, and a tiny amount of magnesium,” says Andres Ayesta, creator of Vive Nutrition (MS, RD, LD, CSCS, CSSD).

You’ll get even more benefits if you consume orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients work together to enhance bone health, according to Lindsey Kane, RD and Director of Nutrition at Sun Basket.

Fun tidbit for vegans and vegetarians: according to Kane, vitamin C can help your body absorb non-heme iron, a kind of iron found in plants and is more difficult to absorb than iron found in animal products.

That’s why Kane recommends a splash of orange juice in your smoothie since it can aid in iron absorption from foods like spinach, almonds, and seeds.

However, because vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, there is a limit to how much your body can use it.

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“Any extra water-soluble vitamin consumption, particularly vitamin C, is ejected from the body to avoid toxicity,” Kane notes. “

In other words, drinking a few more glasses of orange juice isn’t help you—once you’ve met your daily intake, everything more goes down the toilet.”

You’ll strengthen your immune system:

Remember how your mother always told you to drink orange juice to keep a cold at bay? Well, it appears that this age-old cure holds some reality.

“For excellent immune support, regular, consistent vitamin C intake is required,” Miller explains. “Orange juice can be a good source of vitamin C.”

Vitamin C, according to Ayesta, not only improves immune function but also acts as an antioxidant.

“I wouldn’t argue that drinking orange juice can prevent colds or diseases,” Ayesta says, “but it will boost antioxidant status, which will support a robust immune system.”

Your skin may appear younger:

When it comes to vitamin C, did you know that this important antioxidant also plays a role in skin health?

According to Kane, it is thought to play a role in synthesizing collagen, a protein that can help minimize wrinkles and enhance skin elasticity.

Why spend money on anti-aging serums when you can just drink a glass of orange juice to improve your skin?

You won’t feel as full as you would after eating an orange:

Here’s the deal: A one-cup meal of orange has about 4.3 grams of fiber, whereas one cup of orange juice contains only about.2 grams, indicating that it digests faster.

This is why, according to Miller, you won’t feel extremely full after drinking orange juice. Not only that, but fiber is vital for intestinal health and helps to limit sugar absorption, keeping blood sugar and energy levels in check, according to Kane.

Ayesha further claims that because orange juice is less satiating (due to a lack of fiber), you’re more prone to consume more than you require.

According to Miller, this can be a problem because orange juice has more calories, carbs, and sugar per serving than the fruit itself.

Kane’s advice: buy orange juice with at least some pulp to reintroduce some of that fiber.

Your blood sugar level may rise:

A small orange contains only 9 grams of sugar, which may surprise you. On the other hand, the average cup of orange juice includes a whopping 21 grams of sugar.

The fact that orange juice is a concentrated form of fruit is one reason for the disparity.

However, as Ayesta points out, some manufacturers add refined sugar to their juice, which not only adds calories but also raises the risk of blood sugar spikes (depending on how much you consume in one sitting).

“If you don’t drink orange juice in moderation, you’ll experience blood sugar spikes, which can lead to energy fluctuations and frequent hunger,” adds Ayesta.

In the end, experts believe that the health benefits of drinking orange juice outweigh any possible disadvantages.

On the other hand, Miller recommends sticking to 100% orange juice and consuming no more than 4 ounces daily.

Kane recommends using cold-pressed orange juice to receive the most vitamins and minerals. Because it goes through a gentler process, the juice maintains more of the heat-sensitive components that are lost during pasteurization at high temperatures.

Ayesha also recommends looking at the nutrition label to ensure there aren’t any hidden sugars.

Better yet, if you have the ability, he recommends preparing your orange juice at home rather than buying it from the shop, as you will know that the only ingredient is freshly squeezed juice.

Conclusion:

Orange juice is a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, and Thiamin. It also contains antioxidants which can help improve your overall health.

Drinking orange juice has many benefits for your body and is a great way to start your day.

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